Kenya’s Haiti Deployment Under Scrutiny as New Details Reveal Harsh Conditions for Officers

Kenyan police officers deployed to Haiti under the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission faced punishing operational conditions, even as the United States channelled more than USD970 million, roughly Ksh127 billion, to support the troubled peacekeeping effort.

The mission, approved by the United Nations (UN) and largely staffed by Kenyan officers, was expected to help Haitian police push back heavily armed gangs controlling up to 90 per cent of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas, with some experts noting that the mission was bound to fail even before its inception.

“The MSS was ‘bound to fail. The Kenyans don’t know the context, they don’t know the history, they don’t know the language, they don’t know the terrain,” said Evelyne Asaala, a professor of International Criminal Law and Transitional Justice at the University of Nairobi.

Instead, fresh details now reveal the officers struggled with limited manpower, faulty equipment, delayed reinforcements and growing attacks from gangs that continued expanding their territory despite nearly two years of international security operations.

At its peak, the MSS mission was authorised to deploy 2,500 personnel from several countries, but the force reportedly never grew beyond about 1,000 officers, most of them drawn from Kenya.

Other countries, including El Salvador and Guatemala, mainly focused on air support and protecting infrastructure, leaving Kenyan officers to handle dangerous ground operations in volatile neighbourhoods and rural zones increasingly controlled by gangs.

Reports from Haitian police officers working alongside the Kenyans also described significant communication challenges, with some teams reportedly relying on translation apps such as Google Translate because Haitian officers mainly spoke French and Creole, while the Kenyans communicated in English.

A Haitian police officer involved in joint patrols said, “It’s hard for them to understand us.” The same officer also noted communication breakdowns during operations: “We constantly argue with them over the radio.”

The communication gaps allegedly caused confusion during operations, with Haitian officers claiming Kenyan armoured vehicles occasionally blocked movement during firefights because instructions relayed through radios were not properly understood in fast-moving situations.

Kenyans officers also struggled with failing combat vehicles, according to United Nations findings showing nearly half the mission’s armoured vehicles were at one point grounded due to shortages of spare parts and mechanical breakdowns.

The deteriorating security situation further exposed officers to deadly risks, with three Kenyan officers killed during the mission, while another officer’s body was reportedly never recovered after clashes with criminal gangs.

Despite repeated announcements from mission leadership promising decisive operations against gangs, Haitian communities increasingly accused the MSS of overpromising and underdelivering as armed groups tightened control over roads, neighbourhoods, and critical transport routes.

Former MSS commander Godfrey Otunge later admitted the mission operated with limited resources, immense expectations, and severe operational pressure, although he maintained the Kenyan-led deployment still helped secure critical infrastructure and save lives.

“We often operated with limited means, under intense pressure, and with immense expectations from the population,” stated Commander Otunge.

The Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti officially ended in late April, with the final contingent of Kenyan police officers having returned to Nairobi on April 28. 

Prior to the mission’s conclusion, Kenya deployed a total of four contingents, eventually scaling its personnel to approximately 730 officers before executing a phased withdrawal. 

Despite the disadvantages that the Kenyan mission faced, Haitians were seen blocking the departure routes, pleading with the Kenyan contingent to stay because they feared their exit would create a security vacuum and expose communities to renewed gang violence during the Kenyan troops’ departure.

The UN has since approved a new Gang Suppression Force, expected to deploy 5,500 personnel led by Chadian troops and international commanders, amid concerns that foreign missions alone cannot stabilise Haiti’s worsening crisis.