LSK faults gov't for defying court orders on Haiti deployment

In a statement by LSK President Faith Odhiambo, LSK wants President William Ruto, Interior CS Kithure Kindiki and Inspector General of Police Japheth Koome to obey a court order that barred the deployment of the police officers. 

"It has come to our attention that despite the court orders, the government has sanctioned the deployment. While it is reported that the CS Interior and the former Haitian Prime Minister executed a bilateral treaty purportedly authorising the intended deployment of Kenyan Police Officers, the Law Society of Kenya is compelled, in defence of the Rule of Law, to point out that the legal requirements, as interpreted by Justice C. Mwita have not been met. Therefore, any move to deploy police officers to Haiti is unconstitutional and illegal," Odhiambo said. 

"We condemn in the strongest terms possible the willful disregard to the law being demonstrated by the President and the government agencies. We remind the President that he took Oath of Office to protect the Constitution and has on several occasions reiterated that his government would comply with the rule of law," she added.

The deployment has been met with immense opposition from majority of Kenyans, with Thirdway Alliance Party leader Ekuru Aukot once again moving to court to block the move.

Aukot and  Miruru Waweru lodged the complaint on Thursday, arguing that the government had "blatantly disregarded" a January court order prohibiting the deployment as unconstitutional and illegal.

The lawsuit said that its petitioners were "reliably informed" that the Kenyan deployment may take place no later than May 23, "hence the urgency of this application".

The expected deployment of a first batch of Kenyan police to the Caribbean nation would coincide with a visit by President William Ruto to Washington where he will meet US President Joe Biden on May 23.

Kenya pledged last July to deploy up to 1,000 personnel to Haiti, an offer welcomed by the United States and other nations that had ruled out putting their own forces on the ground.