Positive Signs

When information about the signing of a defence accord between the United States and Kenya was made public, many jump for joy. The agreement that will see the East African nation get resources and support for security deployments as it has volunteered to lead an international mission to violence-plagued Haiti has been highly lauded. The Haiti mission just like the fight against al-shabab ( armed group affiliated with al-Qaeda), in Kenya are major pre-occupations that the government has to tackle before fully taking control of the multinational force in Haiti in the days ahead. 
It is no secret that for about a decade now, gangs control most of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, and Haitians face a barrage of attacks, including kidnappings for ransom and sexual violence. Thousands of people have been displaced from their homes. The signing of the accord on September 25, 2023 marks a turning point in the fight against these armed groups. After incessant calls in October last year by Haiti’s de facto leader, Prime Minister Ariel Henry, on the international community to help set up a “specialized armed force” to quell the violence, the US and the United Nations gave their backing, but failed to see any major deployment because no country agreed to lead such a mission to the country.
However, the stalemate did not last long as in July 2023, Kenya said it was prepared to lead a “multinati...