Kenya's Haiti plan faces financing hurdle as US Congress refuses to release millions

Jimmy Cherizier, the leader of the G9 Family and Allies gang network in Haiti. [AP photo]

Kenya's plan to deploy at least 1,000 police officers to the strife-torn Haiti faces yet another hurdle that could further delay or abort the peacekeeping mission and force a rethink of strategy on the part of President William Ruto.

It is emerging that budget fights in the United States Congress, pitting the Democrats against the Republicans, could have far-reaching financial consequences on the Kenyan-led multi-national security mission. According to reports by Reuters, US lawmakers have refused to release millions of dollars in funding that the Joe Biden administration "views as critical" to help address the mounting violence in Haiti.

Reuters reports that representatives Michael McCaul, Republican chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, and Senator Jim Risch, the top Republican on Senate Foreign Relations, have put on hold the release of $40 million (approximately Sh5.36 billion) requested by the US State Department critical to the mission.

They are said to have warned the Biden administration that they "need a lot more details" before release of the funds which "would cover costs essential to the mission".

The US is the largest financier of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, with Congress having already pledged and approved $200 million, according to Reuters.

It's also reported that $50 million is meant to go towards equipment for the force, training, personnel kits and uniforms. Out of which, only $10 million has been released and "has already been obligated, including to reimburse Kenya for training".

Back home, the police deployment has been marred by a myriad of court cases despite declarations by the government that the mission was on, further casting doubts on whether Kenya's contingent will go to Haiti.

In January, the High Court blocked the deployment of police officers to Haiti for the peacekeeping mission. In a ruling on January 26, Justice Chacha Mwita said the planned deployment would be illegal since the National Security Council has no legal authority to send police officers outside Kenya.

Prime Minister resigned

President Ruto and Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who has since resigned, proceeded to sign a reciprocal agreement for the deployment of the police despite the court order.

"There has been a fundamental change in circumstances as a result of the complete breakdown of law and order and the subsequent resignation of the PM of Haiti," said Korir Sing'oei, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary said after Henry's resignation.

"Without a political administration in Haiti, there is no anchor on which a police deployment can rest, hence the government will await the installation of a new constitutional authority in Haiti, before taking further decisions on the matter."

But on the same day, President Ruto assured that the deployment was still on and that Kenya "would not abandon Haiti in its time of need."

Experts who spoke to The Sunday Standard now believe that the budget wars in the US are tell-tale signs of a mission about to meet its stumbling block, and that there is a need for Ruto not to move with haste in handling this matter.

Foreign affairs expert Prof Macharia Munene believes that it is time for Ruto to "read the writing on the wall and look for a presentable way out" of the deployment.

"Ruto's desire to deploy police to Haiti was maybe because he did not have enough information on what was going on and that is okay. But now that everything is clear, he should reconsider, and talk to his advisers so they can find a way out," said Prof Munene.

He also observed that it was time for the President to rethink strategy and 'redeem' his image. "The unfortunate impression out there is that Ruto is handling President Biden's imperialism and that is not a good look for someone that portrays himself to be a pan-Africanist. He should redeem himself by calling off the deployment."

Saboti MP Caleb Amisi, who sits on the National Assembly Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations Committee, said the funding wars have "put the final nail in the coffin" on the Haiti deployment.