Kenyan justice suspends plan to send police officers to Haiti

A Kenyan court announced the suspension until October 24 of the intervention of the Kenyan police in Haiti.

Last week, the United Nations Security Council voted for a one-year mandate for a multinational intervention force in Haiti, led by Kenya.

Nairobi plans to send 1,000 police officers there by the end of the year to help the country fight gangs.

But a petition, filed by the opposition Thirdway Alliance party, convinced the Milimani High Court in Nairobi that some issues needed to be clarified first.

The petition filed is based on two major arguments: first, this mission would not be constitutional. According to the constitution, only the army should participate in missions abroad.

Next, the petitioners consider that the Kenyan police are already overwhelmed by internal problems. Difficult for them, in these conditions, to imagine solving the problems of others.