CS Murkomen receives final contingent of 150 police officers from Haiti

The final contingent of 150 National Police Service officers deployed to Haiti under the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Tuesday evening, marking the end of Kenya’s deployment in the Caribbean nation.

The officers were received by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, who had earlier travelled to Haiti for high-level engagements with Haitian authorities.

Also present at the airport was the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna, Monica Juma, alongside Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Abraham Sing’Oei.

Deputy Inspectors General Eliud Lagat and Gilbert Masengeli, among other senior officers, also attended the reception.

The arrival comes after Murkomen presided over the final drawdown of Kenya’s contingent in Haiti as the mission officially transitioned to the Gang Suppression Force (GSF).

Speaking at Toussaint Louverture International Airport, Murkomen said Kenyan officers had served in Haiti since June 2024 and were leaving behind communities whose safety had become part of their daily lives.

He noted that Kenya had pledged to deploy 1,000 police officers under the mission authorised through United Nations Security Council Resolution 2699 of 2023 and later renewed through Resolution 2793 of 2025, with Kenya serving as the lead nation.

According to the CS, Kenya deployed its first 200 officers on June 25, 2024, eventually reaching 730 personnel due to logistical constraints.

Murkomen said the mission worked alongside personnel from the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, El Salvador, Guatemala and Jamaica, with support from countries including the United States, France, Germany, South Korea and Japan.

Over the 18-month mission, Kenyan officers working alongside the Haitian National Police helped restore order, secure critical infrastructure and support the return of public services.

Murkomen said the gains made contributed to a peaceful transfer of executive power in Haiti on February 7, 2026.

“Today, Haiti is regaining stability,” he said, adding that families were returning home and economic activity was gradually resuming.

He also paid tribute to three officers — Samuel Tomoi Kaetuai, Benedict Kabiru and Kennedy Nzuve — who died during the deployment.

Murkomen acknowledged that the mission faced allegations of misconduct but said the claims were taken seriously and investigated, reiterating Kenya’s commitment to accountability and transparency.

The return of the final contingent now officially closes Kenya’s chapter in the Haiti mission as the country shifts focus to supporting long-term peace efforts through the new GSF framework.