A contingent of 217 Kenyan police officers touched down in Haiti ready for the peacekeeping mission on Sunday, January 19, 2025.
The officers who flew in a Kenya Airways plane were received by top officials from the Caribbean nation at the Port-au-Prince Airport in Haiti.
This was the third group deployed to the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) that left Kenya on January 18, 2025.
Escorted by top bosses
The 217 Kenyan police officers were escorted to Haiti by top security bosses. Onboard the KQ plane that touched down at Port-au-Prince Airport were the former Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet and Deputy Inspector General of Administration Police Service, Gilbert Masengeli.
Commandant General Service Unit, Ranson Lolmodoni, also escorted the police officers who safely landed in Haiti on Sunday, January 19, 2025.
Upon landing, Boinnet was among the top officers who addressed Haiti officials, reiterating Kenya’s willingness to continue supporting the Caribbean nation.
In a statement shared by the National Police Service (NPS), the top bosses further announced that the next batch of 400 officers would be deployed without giving a specific date.
“The next batch of the remaining 400 Officers will also be joining the Haiti team in due time. The National Police Service takes this opportunity to wish the MSS success in their international policing duty,” the statement read in part.
The latest deployment came even as Kenya made progress in setting up a consulate in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital.
Former Administration Police Deputy Inspector General Noor Gabow is expected to head the consulate in Haiti following his nomination by President William Ruto.
Murkomen’s pledge
While seeing them off at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Saturday, January 18, 2025, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen noted that they will help accelerate the progress made in restoring peace in Haiti.
He also vowed to continue international support for the mission.
“The 217 officers will reinforce the first batch of 400 deployed last year to the Caribbean nation to restore peace.
“The Kenya-led mission has made tremendous progress in reducing gang violence, earning praise across the globe, including from both the outgoing and incoming US administrations,” Murkomen’s statement read in part.
It added, “Our commitment to this historic mission is unwavering and we will continue to mobilise all the necessary international support for it to succeed.”
Criminal gangs still control some 85 per cent of the capital Port-au-Prince, the United Nations estimates, despite the June 2024 deployment of the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) under UN auspices.
Gang violence killed at least 5,601 people in Haiti in 2024 , about a thousand more than in 2023, the UN said. More than a million Haitians have been forced to flee their homes, three times as many as a year ago.
With a daunting task at hand, Murkomen remained optimistic that Kenya and other forces deployed in Haiti would be able to restore peace.
The team was escorted by the Deputy National Security Advisor/former Inspector General National Police Service, Mr. Joseph Boinnet, Deputy Inspector General Administration Police Service, Mr. Gilbert Masengeli, and pic.twitter.com/HPol3PFGbX
— National Police Service-Kenya (@NPSOfficial_KE) January 19, 2025
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