Republican politicians opposed to US President Joe Biden's policies have raised questions over the foreign power's pledge to fund Kenya's peace restoration mission in Haiti, insisting on being furnished with more details before greenlighting the operation.
According to reports from McClatchy, an American publication, Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member James Risch have blocked the release of the funds, over questions on how the entire deal has been structured.
"The administration has yet to deliver on specific commitments it promised to Congress as part of the review process," stated a Spokesperson from McCaul's office.
According to the politicians, the US government has already released Ksh2.7 billion (USD17 million) towards the operation but the executive has requested for more funding to support the mission. However, Republican politicians have requested more supporting documents before releasing the rest of the amount of the entire Ksh8 billion (USD50 million) requested.
Another concern raised by the lawmakers was what would be the next course of action if Kenya failed to proceed with the peacekeeping mission.
Meanwhile, Mario Diaz-Balart, the Florida Republican Representative noted that the recent court ruling barring Kenya's mission was a major concern.
"There needs to be more information, along with further explanation to how much of a cost burden the Joe Biden administration wants to assume," Diaz-Balart told the publication.
The US was among the various countries which have pledged support for the multinational mission. The UN was set to disburse funds towards this goal.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki last year, revealed that the whole operation would cost Ksh90.9 billion.
"We have agreed on several things that the resources for this mission will be done by the member states of this mission," Kindiki remarked.
The mission was however halted by the High Court, with judges terming it as unconstitutional. President William Ruto has however insisted that the mission will go on as planned despite the court ruling.
Haiti and Kenya are working on a bilateral agreement that will create a platform to send 1,000 police officers to the Caribbean nation. Haitians are hopeful that the deployment will commence so that the police officers can tame the gangs terrorising the residents and being behind the violence.
