The group departed on a UN-chartered flight and was expected to land in Port-au-Prince by Tuesday.
A second group of 200 Kenyan police officers departed Nairobi for Haiti to assist in combating gangs that have nearly taken control of the Caribbean nation.
The well-trained team left Nairobi on Monday night, July 15, on a UN-chartered flight scheduled to arrive in Port-au-Prince by Tuesday at 10 am Kenyan time.
Deputy Inspector General of the Administration Police and coordinator of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti, Noor Gabow, along with acting DIG James Kamau, were present to bid farewell to the officers.
MSS, an international police force authorized by the United Nations Security Council on October 2, 2023, aims to aid the Haitian government in restoring law and order amidst escalating civil unrest and gang violence since 2018.
Gabow urged the team to carry out their mission with dedication, stressing the importance of representing Kenya and the region well.
“I know you’re prepared for this mission. Go and assist the Haitian people in standing up and moving forward. They deserve our help,” Gabow told the officers.
The team, joining an advanced group that arrived in Haiti on June 25 for reconnaissance missions, will be stationed at key locations including hospitals, airports, ports, the presidential palace, and national highways.
After weeks of planning and on-site training, the team played a crucial role in supporting Haitian police in reclaiming control of a national hospital occupied by gangs.
Haiti’s newly appointed Prime Minister Garry Conille and Police Chief Normil Rameau visited the country’s largest hospital on Tuesday, July 9, after authorities regained control from armed groups on July 7.
During a press conference, Rameau announced that police successfully secured the Hospital of the State University of Haiti, known as the General Hospital in Port-au-Prince, following months of escalating attacks by armed groups.
“Our goal is for Haitians to wake up one day and find the criminals stopped and neutralized,” Rameau said during the briefing.
Accompanying Rameau was Kenyan team commander Godfrey Otunge, who emphasized the contingent’s commitment to working closely with Haitian authorities and local and international partners in rebuilding Haiti under the UN’s guidance.
The green and white hospital suffered extensive damage at the hands of gangs, with beds stripped bare and ceiling fans strewn across the floors.
Inside, debris and broken lighting fixtures littered the hospital’s corridors and patient wards.
Bullet holes scarred the hospital walls and surrounding buildings, evidence of clashes between police and gang members in the area.
Located just across from the National Palace, which has been a battleground in recent months, the hospital presented a scene akin to a war zone, according to Conille.
During Tuesday’s visit, Council member Louis Gérald Gilles noted plans to have the hospital fully operational by February 2026.
Conille emphasized the hospital’s critical role in serving approximately 1,500 patients daily before falling under the grip of gangs.
“This hospital isn’t for the wealthy; it’s for the poor, those who desperately need medical care and can’t afford private doctors,” Conille stated.
The assaults by criminal factions have severely strained Haiti’s healthcare system, causing a surge in patients with serious conditions and exacerbating shortages of medical supplies and personnel.
