Kenya announced on Thursday the deployment of 144 additional police officers to Haiti, bringing the total number of Kenyan officers in the troubled Caribbean nation to over 700.
The move follows the US government’s decision to continue support for a security mission in Haiti after initially indicating it would withdraw financial backing. Earlier this week, the US administration under President Donald Trump had frozen contributions to the mission, but the State Department clarified on Wednesday that most aid would remain in place.
Kenya’s Interior Ministry confirmed the deployment, which took place on Tuesday morning. The newly deployed force consists of 120 men and 24 women, adding to the 600 officers already in Haiti.
Interior Ministry Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen expressed gratitude for international support, particularly from the United States, stating that the mission has received “invaluable and unwavering” assistance in terms of equipment and funding.
Kenya has been leading the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti under the United Nations’ auspices since 2023. However, the mission has faced challenges, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warning in January that the operation has not yet reached full strength, limiting its ability to assist the Haitian national police.
Haiti, currently without a president or functioning parliament, is grappling with extreme violence fueled by criminal gangs, widespread poverty, and instability. The country saw more than 5,600 deaths due to gang violence in 2024, a sharp increase from the previous year, and over a million people have been displaced.