Kenya Insights

Tag: Haiti Mission

  • Police Confirms Death of Officer Missing in Haiti

    Police Confirms Death of Officer Missing in Haiti

    The National Police Service (NPS) has confirmed the death of a Kenyan police officer who went missing in Haiti while serving under the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSSM).

    In a statement issued on Thursday, the NPS said Benedict Kabiru went missing on 25th March 2025 during an ambush along the Carrefour Paye-Savien main supply route in the Pont-Sondé area of the Artibonite Department.

    He was later declared dead after days of search and rescue efforts.

    “The officer had been reported missing while on duty… following an ambush on the Carrefour Paye-Savien main supply route. In a tragic turn of events, the National Police Service received information regarding the death of the missing police officer, and the family has been notified,” the statement read.

    The police service said the officer’s family was promptly informed and kept updated throughout the search operation conducted jointly by MSSM and the Haitian National Police (HNP).

    NPS extended its condolences to the family, colleagues, and friends of the fallen officer, assuring them of “unwavering and continued support during this time of profound sorrow.”

    Meanwhile, the MSSM and HNP continue to coordinate on the ground and are expected to provide further updates on the incident as investigations progress.

    The NPS also noted that the body of Corporal Kennedy Mutuku Nzuve, another Kenyan officer who died in a road accident on 1st September 2025, is scheduled to arrive in Nairobi on 26th September.

    “The NPS remains resolute in its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all Kenyans, residents, visitors, and their property,” said Muchangi Nyaga, Director of Corporate Communication and Spokesperson for the NPS.

    Reports of Kabiru’s death first surfaced in March, but police at the time dismissed them, stating that he was only missing.

    Kabiru’s uncle and family spokesman, Daniel Kabiru, said eight senior officers visited their home around 8 pm to relay the news.

    The family had sought clarity in court a day earlier, filing a petition alleging that information about Kabiru’s death had been withheld.

    During the court session, the Attorney General’s office said it had not been informed of the officer’s death.

    This stood in contrast to remarks made by President William Ruto on September 22 at a United Nations Council meeting, where he named Kabiru among three Kenyan officers killed while serving in the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti.

    The family referenced the President’s statement, which read in part: “I must use this occasion to honour the Kenyan officers, Samuel Kitwai, Benedict Kabiru, and Kennedy Nzuve who lost their lives in the line of duty.”

    “If the President’s statement is accurate, then it effectively disposes of the request for information since confirmation has already been made at the highest level,” the family’s legal counsel told the court.

    Following the visit from NPS officials, the family confirmed the President’s remarks to be true.

  • US Rethinks Haiti Mission as Kenyan Police Rebel and Latin America Prepares Troop Deployment

    US Rethinks Haiti Mission as Kenyan Police Rebel and Latin America Prepares Troop Deployment

    The Haiti Mission is at a breaking point. As Kenya’s police forces protest their role in the troubled Caribbean nation, the United States is quietly working on a backup plan — one that may sideline Kenya and reshape the entire mission.

    With growing unrest in Haiti and political pressure mounting back home, Washington is now courting Latin American troops through the Organization of American States (OAS).

    The move comes just five months before Kenya’s controversial Multinational Security Support (MSS) mandate ends. What started as a temporary intervention could soon become a deeply divisive global operation.

    US Rethinks Haiti Mission as Kenyan Police Rebel and Latin America Prepares Troop Deployment
    The Haiti mission was never just about peacekeeping. It’s about power, influence, and the struggle to control a nation plagued by decades of instability. Kenya stepped in when no one else would — but now, as its own officers protest and the mission falters, the US is turning to a different strategy. [Photo: Courtesy]

    Haiti Mission Faces Tensions as the US Looks to Latin America for Reinforcement

    The United States is reportedly exploring the deployment of troops from Latin America to reinforce the Haiti mission — a move that could sideline Kenya, the current lead of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission.

    The new plan would place troops under the umbrella of the Organization of American States (OAS), a regional bloc historically aligned with US foreign interests.

    The OAS plan is seen as a fallback strategy, especially given the uncertainty surrounding efforts to convert the MSS into a fully-fledged United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission.

    Both Russia and China are opposed to the idea of UN blue berets taking charge in Haiti, blocking US efforts at the Security Council. That deadlock has pushed Washington to pursue other options, particularly those that rely on hemispheric cooperation.

    Kenya, which has deployed over 1,000 police officers to Haiti since 2024, confirmed it is aware of the US plans. “That is a greater involvement of Caribbean countries, and it will serve to make the Haitian stabilisation effort a collective international effort,” said Dr. Korir Sing’oei, Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary.

    But behind diplomatic language lies deep frustration. Kenyan officers have raised concerns over poor coordination, unsafe conditions, and limited funding.

    At home, public opinion is divided, with protests erupting over why Kenyan lives are being risked in a mission many believe is driven by Western interests.

    Kenyan Police Push Back as Pressure Mounts

    On the ground in Haiti, the Kenyan police deployment is under strain. Officers have voiced dissatisfaction over their living conditions, delayed allowances, and inadequate support. Some have even protested, raising security fears for the mission itself.

    “The deployment was rushed and lacked proper logistical support,” one officer reportedly said anonymously. “We’re being used as pawns in a much bigger game.”

    Meanwhile, Kenyan opposition leaders and civil society groups have questioned the legality and morality of the deployment. The High Court initially blocked the mission, but the government pushed ahead after legal maneuvering.

    The backlash at home could not have come at a worse time. The MSS mission is set to expire in just five months, and the international community is still unsure of what comes next.

    If the US plan to involve Latin American troops succeeds, Kenya could find itself phased out — diplomatically sidelined after taking on the riskiest part of the job.

    The Bigger Game Behind the Haiti Mission

    The US is not acting out of goodwill alone. Haiti’s chaos threatens to spill over into neighboring countries, especially as gangs continue to overrun key cities and ports. The Biden administration, and now Donald Trump as he eyes a return to power, sees Haiti as a security threat in its own backyard.

    In recent weeks, Admiral Craig Faller, head of the US Southern Command, met with Colombia’s Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez to discuss a regional strategy. Colombia confirmed the meeting and acknowledged “interest in advancing a multinational strategy to support Haiti.”

    Other countries in talks or under consideration include Brazil, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Chile, Venezuela, and Caribbean states like Jamaica and Barbados.

    If the OAS steps in, the US would be able to bypass the UN stalemate and lead an operation with countries closer to home — and more aligned with its geopolitical interests.

    This approach also allows the US to offload both the risk and the blame. By shifting the narrative to a regional response, Washington can avoid accusations of imperialism while still maintaining control behind the scenes.

    For Kenya, this shift is a diplomatic blow. It accepted the lead role after the US failed to convince other regional partners to send troops. The US praised Kenya’s commitment, but now appears ready to cut it loose.

     

     

  • Haiti Mission in Crisis as Rift Rumors Threaten Kenya-Led Peacekeeping Effort

    Haiti Mission in Crisis as Rift Rumors Threaten Kenya-Led Peacekeeping Effort

    For weeks, the international media has been buzzing with claims that the Kenya-led Haiti Mission is in disarray. At the heart of the storm? Allegations of a growing fallout between Kenyan Police bosses and their Haitian counterparts.

    Foreign reports painted a bleak picture — Kenyan peacekeepers withdrawing support, towns falling under gang control, and rising tensions following the killing of a Kenyan officer.

    But now, both the Haitian National Police (HNP) and the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission have hit back hard.

    They dismissed the rumors as misleading and potentially dangerous in a rare joint statement. Still, the truth behind the headlines reveals an uneasy alliance under immense pressure.

    Haiti Mission in Crisis as Rift Rumors Threaten Kenya-Led Peacekeeping Effort

    Haiti Mission Unity Questioned After Kenyan Officer’s Death

    The trouble began after Benedict Kabiru, a Kenyan officer attached to the MSS, was shot dead during a gang raid in Haiti’s volatile Savien State on March 24, 2025. His death sparked reports of discontent within the Kenya-led MSS force. Rumors quickly followed — alleging Kenyan peacekeepers had pulled back from joint operations, leaving Haitian forces exposed.

    These claims reached a fever pitch when reports surfaced suggesting that entire Haitian towns like Mirebalais and Saut-d’Eau had fallen to gang control — with no Kenyan troops in sight.

    The implication? A fractured force. A Haiti Mission losing grip on its mandate. But on April 21, top police bosses from both nations — Michel Jeune for the HNP and Jack Ombaka for the MSS — broke their silence.

    In a strongly worded press statement, they dismissed the fallout claims, calling them false, harmful, and divisive. They directly accused foreign media of twisting facts to fuel unnecessary panic and undermine the mission’s efforts.

    “Contrary to the information published… the MSS is heavily involved on the ground alongside Haitian police,” their joint statement read.

    The two emphasized recent successful operations in the commune of Kenscoff, just 11 kilometers from Port-au-Prince, where both forces worked side-by-side to dismantle armed gangs.

    They painted a picture of unity, strategy sessions, and continued joint planning between HNP boss Rameau Normil and MSS Commander Godfrey Otunge.

    Reality Check: Is the Haiti Mission Still on Track?

    Despite the denial of a rift, challenges persist. The Haiti Mission, comprising troops from Kenya, El Salvador, Belize, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Guatemala, is facing a rapidly worsening security crisis.

    Armed gangs now control large swaths of the country. The situation has become so dire that residents live in fear, humanitarian aid is blocked, and thousands have been displaced.

    In this climate, even minor misunderstandings or tactical missteps between forces can escalate into serious problems — or media scandals.

    The death of Officer Kabiru was not only a tragic loss but a moment that tested the resolve and structure of the MSS. Some insiders say tensions did spike in the aftermath — not from rivalry but from shock, grief, and the need to recalibrate the mission’s approach.

    In an interview with Le Nouvelliste, Haiti’s leading newspaper, Ombaka revealed that a new operational strategy was underway. It involves ambushes and targeted missions aimed directly at gang leadership.

    “We talk less and act more. That is why you no longer see gang leaders coming out openly,” he said.

    His words seem to confirm that the mission is far from paralyzed. Instead, it is evolving — moving from broad raids to stealthy, strategic strikes. Ombaka was clear: the goal is to capture or eliminate key gang leaders to dismantle their networks from the top.

    Still, critics argue that transparency is lacking. The mission’s silence between March 24 and April 21 created a vacuum that misinformation filled. Now, both the MSS and HNP will have to do more than just deny rumors —they’ll have to show consistent, visible cooperation in the face of skepticism.

    As the Haiti Mission pushes forward, one thing is clear — both Kenya and Haiti are under intense pressure to deliver security results in one of the world’s most fragile states.

    Any hint of disagreement or withdrawal — whether true or false — risks undermining not just morale but international trust in the mission itself.

    For now, the Kenyan and Haitian police bosses have shown a united front. But with the battle against gangs far from over, the real test of unity lies not in press statements but in the field.