First contingent of 400 Kenyan police officers set to return home after year-long deployment in Haiti
MSS Mission spokesperson jack Ombaka noted that the mission has not yet met its personnel deployment targets and is still grappling with shortages in both equipment and manpower.
The first batch of 400 Kenyan police officers deployed to Haiti is expected to return home in June after serving for a year under the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission.
The officers were initially sent to the Caribbean nation on June 25, 2024, to help combat criminal gangs, according to Jack Ombaka, the MSS Mission spokesperson, as reported by the Daily Nation.
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“The officers have signed a one-year contract, and that means those who left on June 25 will be returning home soon,” Ombaka told the Daily Nation.
Kenya’s contribution to the mission did not stop with the first team. A second group of 600 officers followed in October 2024, while a third contingent of 217 officers arrived in Port-au-Prince on January 18, 2025.
The MSS Mission, which operates under the authority of the United Nations Security Council, is headed by Godfrey Otunge.
Despite efforts to restore order, Kenya has suffered casualties.
Samuel Tompoi, who lost his life during a gang attack, was laid to rest in Kenya. The Haitian government also mourned Kenyan officer Benedict Kabiru after an ambush by gangs. However, the Kenyan authorities have not officially confirmed Kabiru’s death and have instead listed him as missing.
“The search for the officer is still ongoing, and we shall keep the public posted on every move that is being made,” Ombaka said as reported by the Daily Nation.
Kabiru is believed to have been captured by the Gran Grif gang, one of the most dangerous groups in Haiti.
Some of the 217 additional Kenyan police officers who were deployed to Haiti on January 17, 2025. (Photo: Ministry of Interior)
A video shared by the gang showed the captured officer. Gran Grif, which falls under the Viv Ansanm coalition, meaning "Living Together" in Creole, is led by Monel “Micanord” Felix and has been linked to the deaths of over 110 people in December 2024, marking the highest toll since Kenya’s involvement in the mission.
The larger coalition is under the command of Jimmy Cherizier, known by the alias Barbecue. The Viv Ansanm coalition was established shortly before Kenyan forces arrived in Haiti, creating a complex and volatile environment for the mission.
While progress has been made, challenges remain. Ombaka noted that the mission has not yet met its personnel deployment targets and is still grappling with shortages in both equipment and manpower.
“Even though the intended target of personnel that are supposed to be deployed has not been achieved, gradual decisive operations being undertaken have yielded fruits,” he said.
There have also been concerns raised about the payment of officers’ salaries.
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Ombaka attributed the delays to logistical issues, explaining that “there have been glitches between New York and Nairobi.”
Questions have also been asked about the quality and quantity of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) available to the officers.
Despite these hurdles, Ombaka said that cooperation between MSS officers and the Haitian National Police has helped dismantle some gang operations and reopen key roads that had been under gang control.
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