Haiti police unions call for better equipment after Kenyan officer's death

Police unions in Haiti are demanding better protection for their forces after a Kenyan police officer was fatally shot on Sunday while carrying out an anti-gang operation in the country.

The officer, Samuel Kaitwai, who was part of a United Nations-backed mission, was shot while responding to a call for assistance from residents in the Pont Sonde area, north of Port-au-Prince.

Despite being airlifted to the hospital, he succumbed to his injuries, marking the first casualty of the mission since its deployment in June 2024.

The officer's death has sparked an outcry from Haiti's police unions.

As reported by The Washington Post and AP, Garry Jean Baptiste, leader of one of the country's two powerful police unions, called for increased support, including better equipment, to tackle the growing threat of gangs.

"Take this insecurity seriously so more lives can be saved," Jean Baptiste said during a protest outside the offices of Haiti's prime minister and transitional presidential council on Monday.

Kenyan officers have been working alongside their Haitian counterparts in gang-controlled regions, conducting joint patrols and targeted operations.

These efforts combine the specialised training of Kenyan forces with the local knowledge of Haitian officers, aimed at restoring safety in the country. Kenya leads the United Nations-backed Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, which seeks to bolster the Haitian National Police (PNH) in their fight against gangs.

However, questions have been raised regarding the arming of the two forces.

Kenya relies heavily on the United States for essential weaponry, and it remains unclear whether the MSS shares its equipment with the Haitian National Police.

Since its deployment in June 2024, the mission's forces have been well-equipped, with additional supplies arriving at the start of this year.

Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils Aimé, addressing the issue at a news conference, expressed the government's commitment to improving security.

"There is a strategy, there is a will, there are means that are mobilised to put an end to the evil of insecurity," he said, insisting the government's pledge to invest heavily in the country's police forces to better protect citizens and foreign officers alike.

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