Kenya's parliament on Thursday approved the proposed deployment of its police to lead a UN-backed multinational mission to Haiti to restore peace and security to the gang-plagued Caribbean nation.

"The ayes have it," Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss Shollei told lawmakers, although the government is barred from proceeding with the deployment due to an ongoing court challenge to its plans.

The deployment of 1,000 police to lead a multinational peacekeeping mission has been controversial in Kenya, with opposition figures criticising the country’s involvement saying Kenya had its own security challenges.

The deployment was approved last month by the UN Security Council. It is funded by voluntary contributions, with the US pledging up to $200 million.

President William Ruto told the United Nations general assembly that the Kenya-led force would “not fail the people of Haiti.”

Read more: Can Kenya succeed in Haiti gang warfare where others failed?