Haitian PM’s whereabouts unknown three days after signing police deal with Kenya
As of Monday, the location of Haiti’s Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, remains unknown, raising concerns as he signed a bilateral agreement in Kenya just three days prior.
The agreement aimed to facilitate the potential deployment of a multinational force to address the security crisis in Haiti.
The Caribbean nation witnessed a violent clash between law enforcement and heavily armed gangs over the weekend, prompting a declaration of a 72-hour state of emergency by the Haitian government.
Notably, a prominent gang leader in Haiti has called for Henry’s removal amidst the ongoing unrest.
Prime Minister Ariel Henry embarked on an overseas trip last week with the aim of garnering support for an international security force to intervene in Haiti, a nation facing significant challenges as the Western Hemisphere’s most impoverished country.
During his visit to Kenya, Prime Minister Henry and President William Ruto formalized a long-awaited bilateral accord.
The agreement lays the groundwork for the deployment of 1,000 Kenyan police officers to spearhead a proposed multinational force, endorsed by the United Nations, with the primary objective of restoring security in Haiti.
President Ruto emphasized the critical urgency of the mission, underscoring the pressing need for international intervention in addressing Haiti’s security concerns.
“It is a mission for humanity,” he said. “It is a mission for solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Haiti.”
“We did this appeal, and you stepped up,” he said. “You said, we want to help Haiti … thank you president, we appreciate it.”
Ekuru Aukot, a constitutional lawyer and one of the petitioners involved in bringing the matter before the Kenyan court, expressed skepticism about the signing on social media.
Aukot characterized the signing as “very misleading” and asserted that Prime Minister Ariel Henry was imposed on the Haitian people, questioning his authority to commit Haiti to any treaty.
These remarks suggest a degree of controversy and legal scrutiny surrounding the bilateral accord, as perceived by Aukot.
The Kenyan government has refrained from making any comments regarding Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s whereabouts following the signing ceremony on Friday.
Despite multiple inquiries by VOA, there has been no official statement from the Kenyan authorities on this matter.
Notably, Munene suggested that the Haitian prime minister should attempt to return to Haiti, emphasizing that such a move would serve to demonstrate his leadership and authority in managing the situation in his home country.
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Haitian PM’s whereabouts unknown three days after signing police deal with Kenya
