Kenyan officers deployed in a peacekeeping mission in Haiti will receive their delayed pay this week.
Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli said in a statement on Monday that the National Police Service (NPS) is working closely with other countries, partners and the United Nations to ensure continued support to the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSSM).
“NPS officers continue to draw their NPS salaries and the processing of their MSSM deployment allowances has also been finalised,” Mr Masengeli said.
Police spokesperson Dr Resila Onyango told the Nation that the officers deployed in Haiti will receive their allowances by Wednesday.
“We expect the money to be in their accounts this week, as early as Wednesday,” she added.
“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.
Authorities were responding to a Nation report on Monday about delays in paying the Kenyan police that had resulted in their families in Kenya undergoing financial strain.
The MSSM is anchored under Human Rights due Diligence Policy and Trust Fund, which is facilitated voluntarily from donor countries.
Several countries, including the US, have donated money to the fund which is being processed.
“We are happy to report that the concerned body has moved with speed to put in place elaborate mechanisms and framework which have operationalized the usage of the Trust Fund,” said the statement.
Sunday marked two months since the Kenyan police landed in Haiti to help the Caribbean country stabilize from criminal gangs.
The first team landed there on June 25 while the second one arrived a month later on July 16, raising the number to 394 but still short of the pledged 1,000 troops. The officers are drawn from the General Service Unit, special units and Border Patrol Unit.
Masengeli said that the deployment which is in phase, continues to register significant progress, through their cooperation with the Haiti National Police and the wonderful people of Haiti.
He added that MSSM has managed to pacify threats to public safety and security, taken over critical infrastructure including the airport, from gang control, and opened up critical roads that have enabled the return of thousands of Haitians earlier displaced.
“As a Service, we wish to commend the MSS Force Commander, Mr Godfrey Otunge, SAIG and his team for their patriotism and dedication to duty, and wish them success in their Mission to restore peace and stability in Haiti,” added Masengeli.
Over the weekend, the mission received additional equipment and vehicles from the French and American governments, following weeks of concern over the lack of adequate hardware to combat armed gangs in the Caribbean nation.
The hardware received included ambush resistant armoured vehicles and turreted Maxxpros vehicles, with MSSM Force Commander Otunge confirming that more is expected in the coming weeks.
“More equipment and vehicles are expected in the coming weeks as the first phase of the pre-deployment draws to a close. Other force-contributing countries such as the Bahamas and Jamaica have indicated plans to deploy to the theatre very soon,” the force commander said last week.
The US Southern Command announced that 24 MRAPs and 34 Overhead Gunner Protection Kits, commonly known as "turrets", would be delivered and transferred to the Kenyan team from Friday last week.
The Council called on the mission to establish an oversight mechanism to prevent human rights violations and to ensure conduct of operations in accordance with applicable international law.
On June 21, this year, a contract was signed in Washington DC in the US spelling out the rights and immunities granted to the forces deployed for the mission.
The deal stated that the officers are not subject to inspection on arrival and exemption from taxes on both their incomes and emoluments. The equipment the troops use is also exempted from tax required in Haiti as long as it is for official use.
If any officer commits any crime within Haiti, they can’t be prosecuted in the Caribbean nation but are referred to the mission for the necessary action.
Any officer who serves as the mission commander has the right to arrest members of his or her team for breaches of conduct and discipline in terms of policies and directives.
