Uncertainty grips Kenyan-led Haiti mission as mandate ends

President William Ruto during the flagging off the first 400 group of police officers for the United Nations-led peace mission in Haiti at National Police College, Embakasi 'A' Campus, on June 24, 2024. [File, Standard] The fate of Kenyan police officers in Haiti hangs in the balance as their mandate in the Caribbean country comes to an end. This comes as the mission suffers another setback, following revelations that US lawmakers are reviewing bilateral agreements with Kenya - including its role in the Haiti mission. The proposed amendment by US Senator Jim Risch could trigger a review of Kenya's designation as a Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA). The clause specifically demands "an assessment of the relationship of Kenya with the US in countering violent extremism, achieving and maintaining peace and security in sub-Saharan Africa and in Haiti, as a United Nations peacekeeping troop-contributing country." The amendment, if passed, mandates the secretaries of State, Defence, Treasury, and the Director of National Intelligence Service to reassess Kenya's role as a strategic partner. The move could further dent the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSSM) in Haiti, which is backed by a UN mandate and US life-support contracts, both set to expire on September 30, 2025. Kenyan troops have been stationed in the Caribbean nation for more than a year and are now operating in limbo, uncertain whether their mandate will be renewed. A source within the mission, who spoke to The Standard in confidence, revealed that the troops have made tangible progress in pushing back gangs from urban strongholds and reclaiming critical infrastructure. "The National Airport in Port-au-Prince is now operational again - planes are landing and taking off," the source noted. Further, MSSM officers have reopened key routes in Kenscoff, Delmas, Thomassin, and Teleco, while successfully repelling multiple gang attacks, including on a police station in Savien and in Petion-Ville. Yet, beneath the surface of these successes lies a fragile mission undermined by persistent challenges - key among them being inadequate equipment, difficult terrain, and insufficient personnel. The terrain in Haiti requires armoured vehicles and air support to manoeuvre effectively. These limitations have come at a cost. The mission has recorded casualties, including the death of one Kenyan officer, Samuel Tompoi Kaetuai, in February, and the disappearance of another, Benedict Kabiru, during a gang ambush in March. Haitian media reported that the missing officer had been killed. Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, stated that the search mission for the officer was ongoing. He assured the public that information would be relayed once the officer was found. Four months later, no further update has been issued. The humanitarian crisis the mission sought to address also remains dire. In the past year alone, more than 5,000 Haitians have been killed in gang violence, with thousands more displaced. Schools, hospitals, and businesses have suffered under the weight of lawlessness. In its latest quarterly report, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) painted an even grimmer picture. Between April 1 and June 30, 2025, at least 1,520 people were killed and 609 injured in armed violence, primarily in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, followed by Artibonite and Centre. There were at least 185 kidnappings and 628 victims of sexual violence. The report described a human rights situation that remained extremely worrying, noting that criminal groups had intensified their attacks outside Port-au-Prince. "Gang attacks in the Artibonite and Centre, and in the capital, continue to cause serious human rights violations and exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis, leading to massive population displacement with dramatic consequences for women and children in particular," said Ulrika Richardson, acting Head of BINUH and United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator. The statement added that abuses by criminal groups accounted for more than 24 per cent of those killed or injured, with documented cases of gang rapes, sexual slavery, child trafficking, and exploitation. Meanwhile, 64 per cent of the deaths and injuries were linked to security force operations against gangs, including drone strikes - with at least 15 per cent of the victims being civilians uninvolved in the conflict. Faced with an imminent deadline and a mission starved of resources, President William Ruto, in June, wrote to the United Nations Security Council through the Permanent Mission of Kenya, urging urgent action. In his letter, Ruto acknowledged both the shortcomings and strides of the mission. "While Kenya had trained 1,000 officers for deployment, 261 remain on standby because the current life-support contract cannot cater for them," Ruto wrote. He noted that the mission currently has 991 personnel, which is 39.6 per cent of the 2,500 planned officers for the mission. "The lack of air and maritime capabilities is severely constraining our ability to degrade gang power and secure reclaimed territories," he noted. Nonetheless, Ruto highlighted successes, which include retaking key installations such as the presidential palace, seaport, police academy, and major hospitals; reopening schools and health facilities; and enabling a partially functioning government. Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, in February, writing to the Security Council, raised similar concerns. Guterres confirmed that while the MSSM had begun to make operational inroads, it was still in its deployment phase and lacked the capabilities and equipment for sustained operations. He stated that only three forward operating bases had been set up and that over 50 per cent of the mission's armoured vehicles were non-serviceable due to a lack of spare parts.

Uncertainty grips Kenyan-led Haiti mission as mandate ends

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