KENYAN POLICE: SPREADING ‘PEACE’ ABROAD, ATTACKING PROTESTERS AT HOME

As Kenyan police arrive in Haiti’s capital to join a UN-backed force allegedly aimed at combating gangs and ‘restoring security,’ a troubling scene unfolded back home for the past two weeks.

In Nairobi, police k*lled at least 22 protesters on 25 June, according to the head of the Kenya Medical Association, and injured dozens others while using tear gas and live ammunition during protests against an IMF-backed Finance Bill. This raised questions about the Kenyan government’s priorities and its approach to maintaining domestic and international peace.

The US recently designated Kenya as a major non-NATO ally, and the US has played a crucial role in facilitating Kenya’s deployment to Haiti by providing funding and logistical support. This marks the fourth foreign intervention in Haiti, with the previous mission (2004-17) marred by allegations of sexual assault and foreign troops dumping sewerage that caused a cholera outbreak that k*lled at least 10,000 people.

Despite a Kenyan court initially ruling the police deployment unconstitutional, as well as ongoing legal challenges and widespread public disapproval, President William Ruto’s administration has pressed ahead. The juxtaposition of Kenyan officers tasked with ‘bringing peace’ to Haiti while police recently attacked protesters in Nairobi underlines a glaring contradiction.