The government has began recruiting the 1,000 police officers it plans to send to Haiti to lead a peace mission.
Among the recruits are special assignment officers who will be joined by specialist officers among them 35 drivers, six sign-language specialists, 12 priests and pastors as well as 8 mechanics.
A memo dated October 7 sent to all General Service Units (GSU) obtained by Kenyans.co.ke indicated that the officers must be nominated by their supervisors. They should also belong to either the Police Corporal or Police Constable ranks.
All special assignment officers must possess more than five years of experience within the National Police Service (NPS), aged between 20 and 40 years as well as not have had more than two convictions in their lifetimes. The last conviction should have occurred in the last 6 months.
Other requirements are that the servicemen and women must be mentally, physically and medically fit, possess proven shooting skills, proficient in English and have clear command and control.
The requirements will also be applied to specialist officers who must be aged between 20 years and 40 years.
Kenya, which agreed to lead the peace mission in the troubled country, is awaiting approval from Kenyan Parliament to start working.
The United Nations Security Council already approved the mission which is aimed to provide relief to the troubled North American country.
"The request by the United Nations Security Council for the deployment of Police officers to Haiti will be subject to Parliamentary approval," Interior CS Kithure Kindiki stated on Sunday.
"Article 240 of the Constitution requires Parliament to approve the deployment of security forces to any peacekeeping mission in foreign nations."
The officers will be assisted by other contingents from partner countries including Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Antigua and Barbuda.
It is estimated that millions of citizens in Haiti have been forced to flee their homes after gangs infiltrated the country and burnt down some police stations. The most affected area is its capital city of Port-au-Prince.
