Haiti citizens are now anxiously awaiting the deployment of the Kenya Police-led international force after recording an uptick in gang violence, a new report has shown.
The poll conducted by the Haiti Health Network indicated that most Haitians favour the international force which has already been approved by the United Nations (UN) but is still facing hurdles in both the Kenyan court system as well as the National Assembly.
In the October poll, the citizens, most of whom have been displaced and living in 90 schools across the country, noted that they are facing difficulties in accessing basic needs such as food and water.
61 per cent of the respondents noted that they did not believe that the Haiti Police could deliver them from the gangs' grip without outside help.
An even worrying 71 per cent expressed that the current regime, headed by Prime Minister Ariel Henry, could not solve the crisis nor would the country's deeply divided politicians.
"It is worth noting that many outside Haiti fear that an armed intervention will be viewed as supporting Prime Minister Ariel Henry. However, 91.4% of those who support intervention do not think that Ariel Henry can solve the political issues of the country,” read the report in part.
“Clearly among Haitians on the ground, even those that do not support Henry still support armed international intervention.”
A report by the World Food Programme has revealed that an additional 40,000 individuals were forced to flee the capital city while the number of homeless individuals hit 200,000.
The new poll shows the Haitians change of heart from an earlier stance where a majority of the population expressed skepticism over Kenya's offering to spearhead the mission.
In August, the citizens highlighted Kenyan police officer's brutal past as a source of distrust in the mission.
Kenya offered to send a contingent of 1,000 police officers to fight the gangs that have displaced 80 per cent of the residents of the country's capital city.
The deployment, however, has been hampered by an initial suspension by the Kenyan High Court which extended orders barring the Ministry of Interior from sending the contingent.
The Ministry headed by Kithure Kindiki also awaits approval by Parliament.
