‘Not the right move’: Raila says on Kenya-led security mission to Haiti

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party leader Raila Odinga has expressed reservations about Kenya's decision to steer a United Nations Security Council-backed foreign security mission to Haiti.

Speaking in a TV interview on Wednesday, the former premier questioned why Kenya has to lead the mission to the gang-controlled Caribbean nation, particularly when the UN Security Council had numerous African states and neighbouring nations of the war-stricken country to choose from.

"I don't think it is the right move. The question we should ask is why Kenya? What is so unique about Kenya that the country can be identified out of 54 African countries?" Raila posed during a KTN News interview.

"Before you even come to Africa, Haiti is at the doorstep of the United States which is the most powerful nation in the world. There are also several other Caribbean islands around Haiti like Jamaica, Bahamas and the Dominican Republic. What is it that is so unique about Kenya that it is being chosen to lead the multinational force in Haiti?"

The opposition boss further asserted that the problems documented in Haiti are not as recent as implied by the mission's financiers.

"If you are conversant with the Haitian problem, it is not one that began yesterday. There is a long history and the US has very much been involved in this.  When we were students, former Haitian President Francois 'Papa Doc' Duvalier and his security forces ‘The Tonton Macoute’ would come and hijack people from their homes and mutilate their bodies," he said.

"When he died and his son Jean-Claude ‘Baby Doc' Duvalier took over there were incidents of coups, counter-coups, assassinations and so on. There have also been invasions of Haiti, the French invaded the nation but they were defeated and from that time the nation has gone through a very painful existence."

According to Raila, Haitians should be given the opportunity to institute home-grown solutions that will establish a lasting democracy in the Caribbean nation, rather than foreign nations advocating for external interference.

"The people of Haiti are of African descent and they have retained their Africanness; they are very proud people. They have just not been allowed because of external interference. Haitians should be encouraged to find a home-grown solution so that you can have a sustainable democracy in Haiti," said the opposition chief.

"The Haitian issue does not need organs, we just need to have a conference to get Haitians together to create a condition for healing the wounds which have been inflicted so that a new nation can emerge in Haiti."