Kenyan police officers finally arrive in Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE—The first 400 Kenyan police officers deployed to the UN-authorized Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission aims to help restore peace and stability arrived in Haiti this Tuesday. These officers, who will be reinforced by additional police and soldiers from other countries, were drawn from an elite force equipped with expertise in anti-gang operations and community policing.

Upon arrival, the Kenyan police officers, led by Raymond Omollo, Kenyan Principal Secretary for Internal Security, were received by the PNH’s high command. After being welcomed on the tarmac of Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince, they proceeded to their unfinished base.

This deployment begins a larger mission involving 1,000 Kenyan officers and at least 1,500 forces from other countries, such as Benin, Chad, Bangladesh, Jamaica, Belize, and the Bahamas. The Kenya-led MSS mission aims to bolster the PNH in its operations, secure state infrastructure, and ensure the free movement of people and goods across the country, particularly in the Haitian capital and its surrounding areas, which have been controlled by armed gangs at 80%-90%.

As the officers disembarked from their aircraft, Port-au-Prince’s streets buzzed with anticipation. The hope was that this mission would integrate seamlessly with local security efforts and support the National Police (PNH) in restoring order and stability in Haiti.

Until this arrival, the Kenyan force’s deployment had been on hold due to
some challenges. Initially agreed upon in October 2023 when the UN Security Council approved it, the deployment faced legal, funding, and logistical difficulties, including a ruling by the Kenyan High Court deeming the plan unconstitutional due to the lack of reciprocal agreements between Kenya and Haiti.

On the eve of the troops’ landing, Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille praised the determination of the Kenyan government and its people for their commitment to supporting Haiti in its fight against longstanding insecurity. “The Government and the Haitian people want this multinational mission to be the last one that helps stabilize the country for the renewal of its political personnel and the return to effective democracy. Long live solidarity between people! Long live Haiti,” Prime Minister Conille wrote on his X account on June 24.

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