The United States Military (US) is currently setting up barracks in Haiti where Kenyan police officers deployed into the country will operate from.
Under the coordination of the US Southern Command, civilian contractors have been deployed to Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital city, to establish the base for this operation.
According to the US Southern Command, these civilians will work alongside Haitian airport officials at the main airport in Port-au-Prince to facilitate their mission of securing equipment and supplies in Haiti.
The decision to set up this operation comes amidst ongoing chaos caused by gangs across Haiti, with the airport remaining operational due to continuous support from various stakeholders.
Plans for deploying a multinational security force in Haiti commenced before former Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s resignation in March 2024. Henry’s resignation was triggered by escalating violence in the country.
Despite the silence from Kenyan authorities regarding the deployment, President William Ruto had previously affirmed Kenya’s commitment to send a police force to Haiti.
Training for the Kenyan police officers scheduled for deployment to Haiti was completed in January 2024. It involved units such as the Rapid Deployment Unit, Anti-Stock Theft Unit, General Service Unit, and Border Patrol Unit.
Approximately 1,000 police officers from Kenya are expected to be deployed to Haiti to join officers from other countries like Chile, Jamaica, Nigeria, and Mauritius, among others.
A meeting held in the US in February discussed the deployment plans, which ended in the drafting of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that outlined the arrival date of Kenyan officers in Haiti.
However, some disruptions followed the political changes in Haiti, with a new government yet to address the deployment plans amid internal challenges.
The opposition to the deployment of Kenyan officers by gang leaders and various activist groups within Haiti adds another layer of complexity to the situation.
