Noor Gabow: Top Kenyan police officer coordinating Haiti mission

Kenya's Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Noor Gabow, is set to oversee the training and capacity-building initiatives for Kenyan police officers heading to Haiti.

President William Ruto today flagged off 400 Kenyan police officers to the Caribbean nation in an event that wasn't televised nor further details released to the public.

Noor recently led a reconnaissance mission to Haiti, identifying an urgent need for retraining local police. For the past year, he has directed efforts to ensure the deployment team is well-prepared for their mission.

He will accompany the initial deployment team to Haiti, overseeing the process, before returning to his coordination duties in Nairobi. The DIG will then collaborate with other nations involved in the mission and maintain communication with Haiti during the presence of Kenya's officers in the country.

Head of Operations at the Administration Police Service and Senior Assistant Inspector General of Police, Godfrey Otunge, will lead the team in Haiti.

The General Service Unit's head of operations, Commissioner Stephen Chebet, will also assist in steering the team.

Noor brings over three decades of experience to his role. He joined the police service in 1989 and quickly rose through the ranks to become Assistant Inspector General.

Police patrol the streets of Port-au-Prince amid rampant gang violence, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, April 23, 2024. (Photo: REUTERS/Ralph Tedy Erol/File Photo)

In 2018, he became the first officer from the Kenya Police Service to lead the Administrative Police.

Noor holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Penology from the International Academy Bramshill of the National Police Improvement Agency in the UK and also has a Master's degree in Governance, Peace, and Security Studies.

During his career, he has played key roles in maintaining order and restructuring police operations.

He was instrumental in restoring order at the Bomas of Kenya auditorium during the presidential election announcement when the opposition clashed with government-allied politicians and former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson, Wafula Chebukati. 

The DIG also served as acting Inspector General (IG) when former IG Hilary Mutyambai took medical leave, during which he initiated a reshuffle of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to enhance its efficiency.

The contingent of about 400 Kenyan police officers is set to depart from Nairobi to Haiti soon, with over 1,000 officers in total joining international efforts to combat gangs terrorising residents in the Caribbean nation.

Alongside Kenya, countries including Chile, Jamaica, Grenada, Paraguay, Burundi, Chad, Nigeria, and Mauritius will also send officers to Haiti.

This deployment follows the Haitian government's recent appointment of Rameau Normil as the new director general of the Haitian National Police (PNH). The appointment was formalised by the Transitional Presidential Council and Prime Minister Garry Conille after a Council of Ministers meeting.

Recently, a delegation of Haitian police commanders visited Nairobi to prepare for the upcoming deployment. They engaged in several meetings with Kenyan officials, including one with the incumbent IG Japhet Koome, and his team, seeking assistance to stabilise their country.

There is significant anticipation in Haiti that the arrival of international forces will help alleviate severe shortages of medications and food caused by the dominance of armed gangs. The presence of well-trained police officers from various nations is expected to strengthen the capacity of the Haitian National Police and improve security in the region.

New Haitian National Police Chief Rameau Normil looks on as he delivers a speech after being sworn-in, at the police headquarters, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti June 21, 2024. (Photo: Reuters/Ralph Tedy Erol)