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Kenya deploys 3rd contingent of 217 police officers to Haiti: What awaits them

Haitian gangs are well-armed and had overpowered Haitian police, prompting external intervention.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen flagging off the third contingent of 217 officers at JKIA in Nairobi on Saturday, January 18, 2025.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen flagging off the third contingent of 217 officers at JKIA in Nairobi on Saturday, January 18, 2025.

Kenya has sent additional troops to Haiti to join the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSSM)

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen flagged off the third contingent of 217 officers at JKIA in Nairobi on Saturday, January 18, 2025.

He reiterated Kenya’s commitment to global peace and security, noting that the country’s ''commitment to this historic mission is unwavering''.

The Kenya-led mission has made tremendous progress in reducing gang violence, earning praise across the globe.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen flagging off the third contingent of 217 officers at JKIA in Nairobi on Saturday, January 18, 2025.

The contingent joins 400 that was deployed earlier, bringing the total to 617 with more expected to join the mission in the coming days.

READ: Trump’s Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio praises Kenya’s role in Haiti

President William Ruto pledged 1,000 troops for the U.N.-backed mission and Kenya is on course to meeting its pledge.

Gains made by the Haiti MSS

MSS has made significant strides, reclaiming several areas and key installations from armed criminal gangs that are equally well armed.

Some countries that pledged to deploy troops are yet to do so, hampering efforts by the MSS.

Case in point is Benin that pledged to send 2000 police officers but is yet to do so.

Kenya earns global recognition and praise

Nonetheless, the Kenyan police officers have earned global recognition for taking up the challenging mission to restore security in the Caribbean nation, with praises pouring in from across the globe.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen flagging off the third contingent of 217 officers at JKIA in Nairobi on Saturday, January 18, 2025.

Several gangs have been reigning terror across Haiti, seizing large swathes of territory, part of which have since been reclaimed by government forces backed by the MSS mission.

READ: Why Benin rejected Kenya's leadership, halting deployment of 2,000 troops to Haiti

Notorious Haitian gang leader Jimmy Chérizier alias Barbeque leads the largest gang and is a dreaded figure in Haiti where the activities of his gang has led to the displacement of thousands.

Armed gangs, thousands dead & many more displaced

The gangs are well armed and had overpowered Haitian police, prompting external intervention.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen flagging off the third contingent of 217 officers at JKIA in Nairobi on Saturday, January 18, 2025.

More than 700,000 Haitians have been left homeless with many fleeing to makeshift shelters.

Gang violence left a trail of destruction with the U.N. Human Rights Office reporting that more than 5600 people were killed in Haiti last year, an increase of 20 per cent from the preceding year.

2,200 people were reported injured and nearly 1,500 kidnapped.

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