Another 200 Kenyan police officers land in Haiti
Kenyan police and Haitian National Police SWAT units patrol streets in armoured vehicles, in Port-au-Prince on June 28, 2024
The second group of Kenyan police officers landed in the Haiti capital Port-au-Prince in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
This brings the total number of Kenyan police officers in Haiti to 396, with another 600 expected to join their colleagues in a UN-backed mission to restore law and order in the gang-ridden Caribbean nation.
The officers to be deployed will be drawn from the General Service Unit (GSU), Special Units and the Border Patrol Unit (BPU).
Speaking to the Nation on Tuesday, Godfrey Otunge, the commander of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSSM), said they want Haiti to regain its stability.
"The MSS mission has to win this war against the gangs in Haiti. The Haitian National Police is working hand in hand with the Kenyan Contingent (KENCON) and the message has already been delivered," he said, adding that Haitian Prime Minister Gary Conille has been very supportive.
“It is going to be business unusual. The work must be done; Haiti must regain its stability and become an economic powerhouse.”
On Monday, a team of six senior officers from Jamaica also arrived in Haiti to carry out an assessment before sending soldiers to Port-au-Prince.
Otunge said he was very happy, especially with the locals and the government, who have given them a warm welcome and seem happy to see the officers patrolling different parts of Haiti.
The first group of Kenyan officers arrived on June 25.
“Kenya, as the lead country for the MSS mission to Haiti, is pleased with the reception and confidence witnessed from the local populace and support from various organisations, both local and international, as we started engaging, collaborating and operating to enable us realise our mandate under United Nations Security Council Resolution No.2699, 2023,” said Otunge.
On July 7, Kenyan police officers began receiving equipment to be used in Haiti.
The officers received Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) vehicles through a facilitation provided by the United States of America (USA).
An APC is a large type of armoured military vehicle which is designed to transport personnel and equipment in combat zones.
"More of the APCs arrived on Sunday and every day for the next 10 days we will receive more equipment," a source privy to the matter told the Nation.
Apart from Kenya and Jamaica, other countries that have pledged to send officers to Haiti include Benin, the Bahamas, Belize, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Algeria, Canada, France, Germany, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Spain.
Before the first group of Kenyan officers left for Haiti, gang leader Jimmy Cherizier, alias Barbecue, sent a stern warning that his gangs would fight them.
But since the officers arrived, he has held two press conferences calling for dialogue, saying they were ready to negotiate with the government.
Haiti's prime minister has ignored the calls for dialogue, demanding that the gangs hand over all weapons in their possession.
