Kenyan police officers serving in Haiti are expected to return home next week, marking the end of a year-long Multinational Security Support (MSS) deployment in the Caribbean nation. The final group of about 400 officers has already been recalled to the GSU Training School for final briefings ahead of their journey back to Nairobi.
Officials say the returning team will be replaced by a new contingent flying out on a chartered plane to ensure operations continue without interruption. Kenya has deployed about 800 officers to Haiti since June 2024, drawn from specialised units including the GSU, Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) and Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU).
The force, led by commander Geoffrey Otunge, has spent the past year supporting the Haitian National Police in securing key locations, conducting joint patrols and training local officers in the fight against violent gangs. Some officers from the Port-au-Prince base were temporarily redeployed to Port-de-Paix on Thursday to maintain control of critical positions as the transition begins.
Kenya’s deployment followed a United Nations Security Council resolution in 2023 authorising the MSS mission amid rising insecurity in Haiti. Haitian authorities and international partners have praised the professionalism of the Kenyan officers, with Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen noting that the experience gained abroad will also strengthen Kenya’s ability to tackle organised crime locally.
The drawdown coincides with a new UN Security Council mandate establishing the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), a more proactive mission expected to operate initially for one year and expand to as many as 5,550 personnel. The new force will work with Haitian authorities to neutralise gangs, curb arms trafficking, secure vital infrastructure and support conditions for national elections.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio commended Kenya for “carrying a huge burden” in leading the international effort over the past two years, saying the progress made by Kenyan officers will guide the next phase of stabilisation in Haiti.
 deployment in the Caribbean nation. The final group of about 400 officers has already been recalled to the GSU Training School for final briefings ahead of their journey back to Nairobi.){kind=link}