The Kenyan High Court has blocked the government from deploying police officers to fight gangs in Haiti.

The judge argued that the deployment would be illegal as the National Security Council lacks the legal authority to send police outside Kenya.

He added that the council can only deploy armed forces for peacekeeping missions such as Haiti.

Last year, Kenya had volunteered to lead a multinational security force in Haiti to quell gang violence.

Ekuru Aukot, an opposition leader who brought the case, said this was a win for Kenya and that the country cannot afford to spare officers before tackling its own security challenges.

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