Haiti mission receives additional equipment, confirms salaries of Kenyan team to be paid this week

The Multinational Security Support Mission (MSSM) in Haiti has confirmed receiving additional equipment and vehicles from the French and American Governments, following weeks of anxiety over the lack of adequate hardware to counter armed gangs in the Caribbean nation.

At the same time, it has been confirmed that salaries for the Kenyan team in the mission will be reflected in their individual bank accounts this week.

"The process for the disbursement of salaries to the MSSM officers accounts has been finalised and it is expected that the same will soon be reflected in their individual bank accounts in the course of this week. Going forward, an elaborate mechanism has been put in place where payments will be promptly made at the end of the month. Therefore, there is nothing to worry about welfare issues of the MSS officers since mainstream processes have been finalised," the mission said in a statement issued early Monday morning.

The hardware received over the weekend included ambush-resistant armoured vehicles and Maxxpros vehicles with turrets with the MSSM Force Commander Godfrey Otunge confirming that more are expected in the coming weeks.

"More equipment and vehicles are expected in the coming weeks as the first phase of the pre-deployment comes to a close. More force-contributing countries like the Bahamas and Jamaica have indicated plans to deploy to the theatre very soon," the force commander said last week.

Kenyan Police guard the site where one of the armoured vehicles used by the Kenyan police and Haitian National police SWAT units to patrol broke down on a steep hill while patrolling through a neighborhood, after the arrival of the first contingent of Kenyan police as part of a peacekeeping mission, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti June 28, 2024. (Photo: REUTERS/Ricardo Arduengo)

The US Southern Command announced that 24 MRAPs and 34 Overhead Gunner Protection Kits, commonly called "turrets would be delivered and transferred to the Kenyan team starting Friday last week.

"The MSS will add the vehicles to its existing fleet of 10 U.S.-provided MRAPS, which are utilised to support Haitian National Police (HNP) operations to restore security in regions impacted by widespread gang violence," a statement by the command said.

It added that the US Department of Defense-funded contractors will install the turrets on the armoured vehicles to enhance the tactical field of view and protection of MSS personnel utilising MRAPs during joint security operations led by the Haitian National Police.

The latest update by the mission said both the Kenyan team and HNP have made several milestones despite being in the deployment phase of the mission.

"The MSSM officers have been enjoying and continue to make use of the available communication and interactive systems which have enabled them to communicate with their loved ones back at home. The MSSM is anchored under the Human Rights Due Diligence Policy and Trust Fund which is facilitated voluntarily from donor countries. We are happy to report that the concerned body has moved with speed to put in place elaborate mechanisms and framework which have operationalised the usage of the Trust," the update issued on Monday added.