The family of the late Benedict Kabiru Kuria, a police officer serving on a peacekeeping mission in Haiti under the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSSM), is reeling from heartbreak — and anger — over how the government has handled the news of his death.
For months, they have demanded to know the fate of the policeman after he disappeared in Haiti on March 25, 2025. He was reportedly captured by a gang during a mission the day before. At the time, Kenyan authorities had indicated that the search for him was still on despite a contradicting statement from Haitian authorities which implied that he was killed.
In May, Kabiru's family resorted to legal means: through lawyer Mbuthi Gathenji, they issued a one-month ultimatum to the government to tell them the truth about their son or face legal action. The letter was addressed to Attorney-General Dorcas Oduor and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
The ultimatum went largely ignored and in June, a month later, they filed a suit that also enlisted Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi as a respondent. In the petition, the family stated that it is torn between believing Haiti’s Transition Presidential Council which said that Kabiru had died and the Kenyan government which maintained that he was still missing.
“The Inspector-General of Police and the CS for Interior have not clarified the contradiction and continue to deny the family of Benedict Kabiru Kuria a written and truthful position regarding their loved one,” the petition filed by Gathenji and Company Advocates said.
A picture of Benedict Kabiru Kuria, a police officer who went missing in Haiti.
Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group
But even then, no answers were forthcoming. They were told to wait for official answers from the government. Fast forward to September, six months after Kabiru disappeared, when the family awoke to news that President William Ruto had, in his address to world leaders in New York, confirmed that the policeman was among Kenyans killed in Haiti.
'They arrived after Ruto spoke'
President Ruto's address spread quickly online and unfortunately for Kabiru's family, they finally got the answers they had been seeking for months on social media.
Philip Kuria, Kabiru’s brother, told the Nation that government officials visited their home on Wednesday night, days after the President’s remarks.
“They came to our home last night and informed us about the matter for the first time. Before that, we had only seen information on social media that my brother was dead,” he said.
He said the family had planned to march to Nyayo House to express their frustrations, but officials, accompanied by top police officers from Kikuyu Police Station, requested more time to address the matter.
“We had gone to Kikuyu Administration Police before, but they told us to wait until Tuesday. We are still not satisfied as a family. We are going to meet and decide what to do next,” he said.
The government has come out to explain the gaffe in announcing the confirmation of the policeman's death. Speaking on Thursday, CS Murkomen, while confirming that Kabiru was the third Kenyan casualty in Haiti, defended President Ruto and blamed time zone differences for the gaffe. He said a police team had already been dispatched to inform the family but arrived late.
“The synchronisation of time made it such that by the time the President was making the statement, our officers had not reached the family. Eventually, the family was visited and informed, and we continue to engage with them. All concerns have been addressed,” he said.
CS Murkomen defends President Ruto announcing death of Haiti policeman before family was informed
"We shall inform the family of the late officer Benedict Kabiru of his body's whereabouts at the right time."
On its part, the National Police Service (NPS) it has been providing updates to the family since he disappeared.
“The National Police Service...has remained in close contact, providing updates as the situation evolved. Since then, MSSM, in collaboration with the Haitian National Police (HNP), has conducted a meticulous search and rescue operation. In a tragic turn of events, the National Police Service received information regarding the officer’s death, and the family has now been notified,” NPS Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said.
