Anxiety as Kenyan police officers in Haiti resign over salary delays

In October last year, the UN Security Council backed Kenya's offer to lead a multinational security force to Haiti. [AFP] A number of Kenyan police officers serving in the UN-backed anti-gang force to restore peace in Haiti have resigned. The 20 officers, who are part of a 400-strong team sent to the troubled nation submitted their letters two months ago over pay delays. According to Reuters, the officers are, however, yet to receive any response to their resignation letters and continue to serve the now-transformed Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission. The reports come days after Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja denied claims that the officers in Haiti were experiencing salary delays. Speaking during a media briefing, Kanja claimed that "as a matter of fact", the officers had been paid up to October. "What we can confidently say is that the situation in Haiti has improved and the officers are doing a very good job," said Kanja. READ: Kenya-led Haiti mission to transition into a UN peacekeeping operation Kanja's sentiments were echoed by Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo who said the Kenyan officers were part of the UN-backed MSS support team with clearly defined terms of engagement in terms of who is to pay the officers. However, the officers said delayed salaries and growing leadership frustration within the National Police Service has put them in a dire situation and plagued the mission. The officers said what they have met after the resignation is controlled communication and disarmament in the volatile country. Speaking anonymously to Reuters, the officers indicated that more colleagues including, a unit commander, had also resigned. Earlier in the year, Kenya signed a deal with Haiti to deploy 1,000 of its officers to tackle the gang violence in Haiti. Kenyan police officers patrol the area during a deployment near the national palace, in the city center of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, July 17, 2024. [AFP] The deal came after the United Nations Security Council in October 2023, adopted Resolution 2699 authorising a Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti, after a request for assistance by the country's government and civil society representatives. To be led by Kenya, the 12-month international police service mission was tasked with helping Haitian police restore law and order amid worsening civil strife and gang violence that has plagued the country since 2018. The Caribbean island nation had experienced a dramatic surge in homicides, kidnappings and sexual violence throughout 2023. According to reports, gang violence had left over 3,600 people dead with over half a million others homeless before Kenya deployed its officers. The widespread destruction of property and displacement has so far weakened governance and public security with an estimated 80 per cent of its capital Port-au-Prince under gang control. ALSO READ: Kenya's Haiti mission budget to last until March 2025, says Ruto Instability escalated in 2021 when President Jovenel Moise was assassinated. Heavily armed gangs have sought to fill the vacuum, seizing up to 85 per cent of the capital and expanding their violent grip to some areas beyond it. The violence has caused a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, displacing more than 700,000 people, of whom the UN says about half are children. A record 5.4 million Haitians are facing acute hunger with the World Food Programme saying famine-like conditions are present, particularly in shelters for the displaced in Port-au-Prince. Children are particularly vulnerable, and at least 125,000 are estimated to be acutely malnourished. Amid silent squabbles that had rocked the deployment, Kenya released its first batch of 200 officers to Haiti in June with the second batch of another 200 flying days later. President William Ruto said Kenya has solid credentials in peace-making and conflict resolution globally. "Our police officers' presence in Haiti will give relief to those whose lives have been broken by gang violence," Ruto said during the pre-deployment briefing held at the Administration Police Training College, Embakasi.

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