Haiti's deadly gamble: Little to show as Kenyan-led mission is replaced by UN

Today marks the official end of Kenya’s leadership of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti.

For 15 months, Kenyan police officers have been in the Caribbean nation, more than 12,000 kilometres away, attempting to bring order to a country gripped by gang violence, political collapse, and humanitarian disaster.

When President William Ruto announced in 2023 that Kenya would take the lead in deploying police to Haiti, his government cast the mission as a bold act of Pan-African and global solidarity. Kenya would answer the world’s call, stand with Haitians in their darkest hour, and demonstrate its growing diplomatic influence.

But not everyone applauded the mission. Despite the state’s rosy assurances, the controversial deployment faced political and legal hurdles from a section of Kenyans and activists. In the end, however, the police were dispatched to Haiti regardless.

But as the mission’s mandate lapses, questions abound. Did the deployment achieve its goals, or was it an expensive ego trip at the cost of Kenyan lives? And perhaps most painfully, what of the families of the officers who never returned?

For the families of three Kenyan officers who died in Haiti, the mission is ending not with honour but with heartbreak, anger, and regret.

In February, Constable Samuel Kaetuai Kitwai, 28, was shot during an operation in Artibonite and later died in hospital. He became the first Kenyan officer to die in Haiti.

When his parents received the news at their home in Kajiado East, grief was evident.

“We are in denial that my son is dead. I want to confirm if truly my son is dead,” his father, Lazarus Kitwai said at the time.

His mother, Jenifer, described him as an obedient and responsible son who provided for his family and educated his siblings.

Kitwai’s widow, Naomi, left to raise their two young children, said the death was devastating.

“I was expecting to receive him back home for his sister’s wedding in April,” said Naomi.

In September, Corporal Kennedy Mutuku Nzuve, 41, was killed when an armored vehicle overturned during a towing operation in Petion-Ville.

His mother, Serah, was inconsolable. “He was my only son. He had promised to come home in November for a short break. Now he is gone, it is painful for me as a parent,” said Serah Nzuve.

Mutuku left behind two children, including a daughter preparing for her national exams.

His aunt, Carolyne, said: “He had a family, and now that he is gone, they are left under the care of their mother.”

Perhaps the most haunting case is that of Constable Benedict Kabiru, who went missing in March after an ambush in Artibonite. For months, his family clung to hope. Then, last month, police confirmed his death.

President Ruto had already announced Kabiru’s death at the UN General Assembly in New York, before the family was officially informed. The family accused the government of insensitivity. To date, the body is yet to be brought back for burial. The Kabirus struggle to find closure without his remains.

The MSS was born out of desperation. By late 2023, Haiti had become ungovernable. Armed gangs controlled an estimated 80 per cent of the capital Port-au-Prince, kidnapping and killings surged, and more than 1.3 million people were internally displaced.

In October, 2023, the UN Security Council authorised the MSS, with Kenya volunteering to lead. The mission was unprecedented; a largely police-led, non-UN force, with contributions from the Bahamas, Jamaica, Guatemala, and others.

According to Korir Sing’oei, the Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary, the move was an act of international responsibility.

In his X post yesterday, after Tuesday night’s UN Security Council decision to replace the MSS with a stronger Gang Suppression Force (GSF), he said Kenya welcomed the transition of the MSS to GSF.

On paper, the MSS achieved some progress. In a statement on September 19, the Force Commander Godfrey Otunge said the mission had disrupted criminal networks, repelled major gang attacks, and liberated strategic areas in and around Port-au-Prince.

He noted that the mission reclaimed critical infrastructure, including the airport and seaport, and reopened roads linking parts of the capital. Hospitals and schools that had shut down due to gang violence resumed operations.

“These achievements ultimately belong to the Haitian people. They reflect their resilience, hope, and determination,” noted Otunge.

But while Nairobi celebrated these gains, international assessments were less flattering.

The MSS, underfunded and undermanned, never reached its full 2,500 planned personnel earlier designated for the mission. Kenyacommitted to deploy 1,000 police officers.

Recently, none other than President William Ruto himself put across what was read by many as his honest assessment of the mission.

Ruto said the 15-month-old MSS force had been operating at only 40 per cent of the expected strength of 2,500 security personnel and it lacked the promised equipment and logistical support.

He further added that the vehicles given to the mission by the US were second hand and prone to breakdowns.

“I must commend the United States. They did make available logistics and vehicles. But unfortunately, most of the vehicles were second-hand vehicles, and therefore they broke down a lot, many times. And in fact, it put our personnel in great danger when they broke down in very dangerous places,” Ruto said.

“But at least they stepped up,” he added. “We didn’t however get any useful support from any other quarter.”

According to the UN, while MSS support enabled limited security improvements, the mission struggled to match the scale of the crisis.

Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council chair, Laurent Saint-Cyr, bluntly told the UN General Assembly that the mission remains woefully understaffed and underfunded.

“Nearly all of the capital remains under gang control,” he said.

Diplomatic milestone

According to them, the end of the mission is not a diplomatic milestone but a painful reminder that they may never lay their son to rest.

On Tuesday, the UN Security Council voted to replace the MSS with a Gang Suppression Force (GSF). Backed by the US and Panama, the resolution passed with 12 votes in favour, and three abstentions (China, Russia, Pakistan).

The new force will have 5,550 personnel more than double the MSS, with a stronger mandate to neutralise, isolate and deter gangs.

It will also enjoy full UN logistical and financial support, unlike the MSS which relied heavily on voluntary contributions.

Ambassador Mike Waltz of the US hailed the move stating that with the vote, the international community is living up to its promise.

For Haiti’s ambassador to the UN, Pierre Ericq Pierre, the decision marked a turning point.

“The MSS was a valuable support, but the threat far exceeded its mandate. The new mission gives us the means to respond to the gravity of the situation,” he said.

Haiti’s crisis is far from over. Nearly 6 million people face food insecurity. At least 3,100 have been killed in gang violence this year alone, according to the UN. Elections remain uncertain, and the state is weak.

Human Rights Watch cautioned that the new GSF must learn from past abuses, including the cholera outbreak and sexual exploitation scandals tied to earlier UN missions.

“Haiti has a painful history with foreign forces. The new mission must prioritise accountability and human rights,” said America’s Director Juanita Goebertus.