We are sending special forces to Haiti, not traffic officers - Belgut MP Koech

According to Koech, the troops who are set to be deployed are not just ordinary police officers but specially trained unit officers who are capable of dealing with the dangerous gangs of the Caribbean nation.

"I know Kenyans have made a joke out of this and many think the police who are going there are traffic policemen. Kenya has special armed forces. There is absolutely no problem whatsoever we must put our country in the global arena at least for the good things. I totally support it," he said.

"Our officers have encountered gangs before they are properly trained for that."

MP Koech was speaking on Citizen TV's Daybreak show on Monday.

Speaking in the same stage, Dagoreti North MP Beatrice Elachi expressed skepticism about the mission being a success, arguing that the gangs in the foreign country have been a headache for Haitian authorities for decades and it has been tough to silence them.

"Haiti is a country that has been run by gangs, that is where we should ask ourselves have we trained our officers to understand how to manage gangs? They are terrorists who are willing to do anything to survive," she said.

"We will lose our police officers. These gangs will terrorize them because when you watch any stories in Haiti they are ready to die and our officers are coming from a democratic country and taking them to where there is no order."

The deployment was announced by Foreign Affairs CS Alfred Mutua who said that the officers will help train and assist Haitian police to restore normalcy in the country and protect strategic installations.

The announcement, amid rising concerns from Kenyans, was welcomed by the Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome who expressed confidence in the peacekeeping mission.

"Yes, we're going to Haiti. We will lead this mission. We have never failed. We'll succeed there too," Koome said during a meeting with Head of Public Service Felix Koskei.

Meanwhile, the United Nations (UN) Security Council is set to vote on a resolution that will see a non-UN multinational force led by Kenya deployed.

The council will develop the framework for and authorise a one-year deployment of an international force, with a review after nine months. 

Caribbean nations and members of the CARICOM regional group, including Jamaica, the Bahamas and Antigua and Barbuda have also expressed their readiness to support the mission that will be led by Kenya’s force. 

The Bahamas has committed 150 persons to support the multi-national force, while Jamaica said it cannot reach the 1,000 offered by Kenya, it “will give what we can.”

Kenya formally established diplomatic relations with Haiti on September 21, after an agreement signed by President William Ruto and Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry.