- Over 800 Kenyan officers are deployed in Haiti as part of a peacekeeping mission.
- President Ruto discusses Kenya’s leadership role with UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
- Violence in Haiti continues to rise, with protests and gang activity spiraling out of control.
President William Ruto recently spoke with UN Secretary-General António Guterres about Kenya’s critical role in the ongoing efforts to stabilize Haiti. In their discussion on Thursday night, Guterres praised Kenya’s leadership and reaffirmed support for the mission aimed at restoring order in the Caribbean nation.
“He acknowledged Kenya’s leadership and commended our consistent dedication to the shared goal of bringing stability to Haiti,” Ruto shared in a social media post.
The conversation comes at a time when violence in Haiti, particularly in Port-au-Prince, has reached alarming levels. Since Kenyan officers were deployed in June last year, two have been killed, and at least three others injured. Reports from the ground also reveal severe resource shortages that have hindered operations.
On April 2, protests erupted in Port-au-Prince, with thousands demanding the resignation of the transitional government and national police leadership. Armed with machetes and firearms, demonstrators clashed with riot police, who responded with tear gas and, according to local media, live ammunition. Protesters set fire to tires, blocked roads, and carried flags representing opposition movements.
The protest, which was one of the largest since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, highlighted widespread frustration with the government’s failure to restore security. Despite the March 2024 power-sharing agreement brokered by CARICOM and the United States, little progress has been made.
With elections unlikely this year and a constitutional referendum still pending, Haiti remains in chaos. Corruption allegations against the presidential council further erode public trust.
Criminal gangs now control much of Port-au-Prince, and the violence has spread to towns like Mirebalais in the Central Plateau. There, gangs attacked a police station, freed prisoners, and looted homes, schools, and churches. In the attack, two Roman Catholic nuns were killed.
The UN’s International Organization for Migration estimates that nearly 6,000 people have been displaced by the violence. With further protests expected, the situation in Haiti remains tense, as the population continues to struggle under the weight of gang violence and ineffective governance.
