Kenya vows continued support for Haiti peace mission alongside US despite fierce opposition from political leaders and civil society

Kenya has reaffirmed its commitment to the new Haiti stabilization mission, pledging continued collaboration with the United States and international partners despite mounting domestic criticism.

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei said Kenya remains steadfast in supporting efforts to restore peace and stability in the Caribbean nation, which has been gripped by escalating gang violence.

“We will continue to work with the United States and other members of the Standing Group of Partners on Haiti to support the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) and the Haiti National Police,” Sing’oei said on Friday.

His remarks came in response to comments by US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, who lauded Kenya’s “longstanding role” in Haiti during a UN Security Council briefing. Waltz urged the international community to stand with Haiti in restoring democratic governance, saying the U.S. will remain relentless in supporting the country’s security and reform efforts.

However, the Kenyan government’s renewed commitment has reignited strong domestic backlash, with critics questioning the legality, cost, and strategic value of the deployment. Opposition leaders, including Kalonzo Musyoka and Eugene Wamalwa, have condemned the mission as unconstitutional and ill-advised, calling for the immediate return of Kenyan officers.

“The mission was misadvised from the start and lacked a valid UN Security Council mandate,” Kalonzo said, adding that Kenya should prioritise domestic security issues instead of foreign interventions.

Wamalwa echoed similar sentiments, saying, “No law-abiding government should defy court orders in pursuit of an unconstitutional deployment.”

Other leaders, among them Senate Majority Whip Boni Khalwale and former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria, questioned the rationale behind sending Kenyan forces thousands of kilometres away while insecurity persists at home.

The Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission officially ended on October 2, paving the way for the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), a new 5,500-strong multinational unit with expanded powers to arrest and use force.

Despite the controversy, the government insists Kenya’s role in the new mission is part of its international peacekeeping obligations. PS Sing’oei noted that final deployment details will be determined in due course, adding that Kenya welcomes the UN resolution as a “pivotal step toward long-term peace in Haiti.”