Kenyan police officers deployed to Haiti under the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission encountered severe operational challenges, even as the United States provided over USD970 million, approximately Ksh127 billion, to support the troubled peacekeeping effort.
The mission, authorized by the United Nations (UN) and primarily staffed by Kenyan officers, aimed to assist Haitian police in combating heavily armed gangs controlling up to 90 percent of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas. Some experts suggested the mission was destined to fail from the beginning.
“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,” stated Evelyne Asaala, a professor of International Criminal Law and Transitional Justice at the University of Nairobi.
New details now indicate that officers dealt with insufficient personnel, malfunctioning equipment, delayed reinforcements, and escalating gang attacks that continued to expand their territory despite nearly two years of international security operations.
At its maximum capacity, the MSS mission was authorized for 2,500 personnel from multiple countries, but the force reportedly never exceeded about 1,000 officers, most of whom came from Kenya.
Other contributing nations, including El Salvador and Guatemala, primarily concentrated on air support and infrastructure protection, leaving Kenyan officers to manage dangerous ground operations in volatile neighborhoods and rural areas increasingly dominated by gangs.
Haitian police officers working alongside the Kenyans also reported substantial communication difficulties, with some teams reportedly using translation applications like Google Translate because Haitian officers mainly spoke French and Creole, while the Kenyans communicated in English.
A Haitian police officer participating in joint patrols stated, “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 operational confusion, with Haitian officers claiming Kenyan armored vehicles sometimes blocked movement during firefights because instructions transmitted via radios were not properly comprehended in fast-paced situations.
Kenyans officers also coped with failing combat vehicles, according to United Nations findings showing nearly half the mission’s armored vehicles were at one point immobilized due to spare parts shortages and mechanical breakdowns.
The deteriorating security situation further exposed officers to significant risks, with three Kenyan officers killed during the mission, while another officer’s body was reportedly never recovered after confrontations with criminal gangs.
Despite repeated announcements from mission leadership promising decisive operations against gangs, Haitian communities increasingly criticized the MSS for overpromising and underdelivering as armed groups tightened their control over roads, neighborhoods, and critical transport routes.
Former MSS commander Godfrey Otunge later acknowledged the mission operated with limited resources, high expectations, and severe operational pressure, though 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 concluded in late April, on April 28.
Prior to the mission’s conclusion, Kenya deployed four contingents, eventually increasing its personnel to approximately 730 officers before implementing a phased withdrawal.
Despite the challenges faced by the Kenyan mission, there were concerns that their departure would create a security vacuum and expose communities to renewed gang violence during the withdrawal of Kenyan troops.
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 stabilize Haiti’s deteriorating crisis.