Big dreams, young family: Life of 28-year-old Kenyan police officer killed in Haiti

In the quiet village of Naserian, Kajiado West in Kajiado County, grief hangs heavy in the air; a family shattered, mourning their son, Samuel Kaitwai.

Just 28 years old, the Kenyan police officer dedicated his life to protecting others; a dream cut short by bullet wounds from a brutal gun battle with Haitian gangs; a hero gone too soon, leaving behind a void that words can’t fill.

“Nimesikia asubuhi that amefariki amekutana na maghaidi na nawakamuua huyu kijana ni wangu. Amewacha watoto wawili wadogo sana na bibi yake ni mdogo sana,” his father, Kaetuai Lesaru Salaash, says.

His wife Naomi Samuel tells Citizen TV, “Amekua busy hajakua akipiga simu lakini tulikua tunaongea kwa message alikua anauliza watoto wakoaje.”

Monday morning, uniformed officers arrived at the Kaitwais’ doorstep came bearing devastating news that their son, newly married and a father of two, was gone.

He left home full of dreams to serve his country but died in a distant land. The news spread swiftly, transforming the once lively homestead into a place of grief.

Tears, heartbreak, and disbelief filled the air as loved ones gathered to console the family and honour a hero’s ultimate sacrifice.

Joseph Kimiti, the family spokesman, said, “Tumepoteza kijana wetu ambaye wakati alipata kazi hakupotea kwa muguka lqa pombe, alishikilia familia.”

Kaitwai was shot during an operation in Ségur-Savien, Haiti’s Artibonite region.

He was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries, marking a tragic loss for both his family and the Kenyan police force.

“Naomba serikali aletwe hapa Kenya nipate nafasi ya kuoma sura yake kuona ni yeye,” says his father.

His dreams were big: to build a home and secure a future for his family. But now, the piles of stones meant to lay that foundation lie untouched.

Silent reminders of dreams that will never be realised. Samuel Kaitwai, a dedicated officer who served in Mandera and Wajir since 2021, answered the call of duty in Haiti.

But he never came back. His sacrifice has left a void and dreams frozen in time.

“He is the only person who has a payslip with us today and so we look to him as a very big helper as you can see, he had laid stones to build a house,” Kaiwai’s brother Amos Kaetuai said.