- UN Security Council votes to replace the Kenyan-led mission in Haiti with a new force.
- Inspector General Douglas Kanja says his office has not received official directions.
- The new Gang Suppression Force (GSF) will have a stronger mandate than MSS.
- Questions remain on Kenya’s role and the fate of its 800 police officers in Haiti.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has said his office has not yet received formal instructions from the United Nations Security Council regarding Kenya’s role in Haiti. Speaking at the Embakasi Police Campus, Kanja noted that more than 800 Kenyan officers serving in Haiti remain under uncertainty as they await new directions.
“We saw what happened, and we are waiting for the directions from the relevant agencies, then we will know what will happen. Remember, such directions are issued by the UN Security Council,” Kanja said.
On September 30, the UN Security Council voted to transition the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) into a new unit called the Gang Suppression Force (GSF). The resolution was co-authored by the United States and Panama. Unlike MSS, the GSF will have broader powers and independence to directly engage gangs.
The new mission will operate under an initial 12-month mandate, working alongside the Haitian National Police and the Haitian Armed Forces. Its responsibilities include securing key infrastructure, protecting vulnerable groups, supporting humanitarian access, and integrating former fighters back into communities.
The GSF is expected to consist of around 5,550 personnel drawn from both police and military ranks. It will be supported by a new UN Technical Office, which will handle logistics, coordination, and fundraising. The Organisation of American States (OAS) will also play a key role in supplying food, fuel, and equipment.
Unlike the MSS, the new force will be allowed to operate more independently of local Haitian forces, a change pushed by U.S. officials who argued that gangs had previously exploited the MSS limitations to launch coordinated attacks.
Kenya has welcomed the new resolution but left its exact role unclear. Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei described the GSF as a more robust mission with intelligence-led counter-gang operations.
“This is a policy decision to be made in due course and will be communicated,” he said.
The question now is whether the 800 Kenyan officers already deployed will be absorbed into the new structure or whether Kenya will be asked to send additional personnel.
The resolution highlights the protection of women and children, citing their recruitment and abuse by gangs. Denmark strongly pushed for this language to ensure human rights remain central. The GSF will also work to strengthen Haitian institutions and prepare the ground for free and fair elections by restoring basic security.
Although the GSF will have a commander like the MSS, it will now be overseen by a coalition of countries contributing troops. Decisions on coordination and dispute resolution remain a concern, with experts questioning how forces that have not trained together will operate jointly.
A new civilian Special Representative will provide political oversight, while the U.N. Support Office will manage logistics, bases, and operations. However, funding remains uncertain as the mission will still rely on voluntary contributions, raising questions about sustainability.
