Kenya Sends 230 More Police to Haiti to Fight Gangs

Kenya has sent 230 high-ranking police officers to Haiti to join a UN-backed Anti-Gang Task Force amid rising gang violence
The deployment marks the first foreign reinforcement since the United Nations expanded the mission, although funding gaps remain large.
The officers were announced in Nairobi by senior security officials, with orders to serve as ambassadors while supporting peace operations.
Gangs based in Port-au-Prince and central Haiti have committed widespread violence, leaving thousands of refugees

Kenya has sent 230 high-ranking police officers to join the United Nations-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF) amid an increase in gang-related violence across Haiti.

Elite Kenya police leave for Haiti. Photo: NPS
Source: UGC

The new force marks the first foreign deployment since the UN Security Council expanded the mission in September, allowing for a “Major Anti-Gang Task Force” of up to 5,500 personnel.

Will Kenyan officials get better funding in Haiti?

Before this decision, the force in the Caribbean nation had only 980 officers, far less than the 2,500 originally planned.

Previously, the United Nations Security Council had planned a fully funded force to Haiti costing KSh 103.4 billion annually. However, contributions have decreased, leaving only KSh 14.6 billion in the United Nations special trust fund.

The United States, which has supported the force with more than $1 billion in logistical and operational support, recently reduced direct financial contributions, giving only $15 million to the fund. Canada remains the largest contributor at $63 million.

Kenya, which leads the mission, is the largest contributor, with personnel from Jamaica, the Bahamas, Belize, Guatemala, and El Salvador also participating.

The newly deployed officers will strengthen existing anti-gang teams based in the capital, Port-au-Prince, and expand their reach into central Haiti.

Has the mission in Haiti been successful?

The deployment ceremony for the officers in Nairobi was led by National Security Adviser Monica Juma, who invited the officers to Haiti.

He was joined by senior officers of the National Police Service (NPS), including Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Eliud Lagat of the Kenya Police Service, DIG Gilbert Masengeli of the Administrative Police, and other senior officers.

Kenya National Police Service — Kenyan police officers greet each other as they prepare to leave for Haiti. Photo: NPS.
Source: Facebook

Others who attended the ceremony were former Inspector General and Deputy NSA Joseph Boinnet, Commander of the Central Service Division Ranson Lolmodooni, and senior officers from the National Police Academy and Kenya Airways.

Juma delivered a message from the President William Rutourging the officers to serve as exemplary ambassadors for Kenya while contributing to the objectives of the mission.

“He noted that joint patrols with the Haitian National Police (HNP) have succeeded in increasing stability and resulting in the arrest of people in areas controlled by gangs such as Downtown Port-au-Prince, Ganthier, and Delmas,” the police reported on Juma’s message before leaving.