President William Ruto has urged global leaders to step up and offer their assistance for the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission aimed at stabilizing Haiti.
Speaking on Monday during a High-Level meeting on Haiti at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Ruto praised the progress made by Kenya-led MSS mission. He noted that Haiti’s security challenges can be solved with proper global backing.
“When we first stepped into Haiti, the airport had been surrounded by gangs. Today, the airport is operational, the presidential palace is secure, and schools and hospitals have reopened,” Ruto said.
With Kenya’s mission expected to expire in less than two weeks, Ruto highlighted that the mandate of the successor mission would only be fulfilled if key essentials including resource and equipment package, and sufficient logistical support, are provided.
He revealed that Kenyan officers deployed in Haiti managed to achieve significant milestones with only 40 per cent of the required resources and support at their disposal.
“If we are sending an additional team, the mandate must be clear. We must also have a predictable resource package. It cannot be what Kenya has been through, which is a game of guesswork, if we are serious about solving the matter of Haiti,” he said.
He called on the international community to ensure a robust transition that will protect the progress already made by the MSS mission, reiterating the need to restore security and dignity in the gang infested country.
President Ruto also hit out at the criminal gangs, labelling them as cowards who frequently retreat into hiding, only to re-emerge using guerrilla warfare tactics.
“The international community must stand up for the people of Haiti. The gangs, in my opinion, are cowards who have literally gone into hiding, often resurfacing with guerrilla warfare tactics,” Ruto.
On 25th June 2024, the first contingent of 200 police officers from Kenya arrived in Port-au-Prince, assigned to help restore peace in the country. Today, the MSS mission is made up of 989 police personnel, with 735 coming from Kenya.
According to President Ruto, the mission has claimed the lives of three Kenyan officers; Samuel Tomoi Kaetuai, Benedict Kabiru and Kennedy Nzuve, who lost their lives in the line of duty.
