Haiti govt vows to find missing Kenyan officer
The Haitian government has reaffirmed its commitment to locating Benedict Kabiru, the missing Kenyan officer deployed to Haiti as part of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSSM).
Kabiru disappeared on March 25, 2025, in the Pont-Sondé area of the Artibonite Department.
In a statement dated Friday, March 28, 2025, MSSM Commander Godfrey Otunge disclosed that the President of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council (TPC), Fritz Alphonse Jean, has reaffirmed Haiti’s dedication to finding the officer.
Speaking during a visit to the mission’s LSA 2 on Thursday, March 27, 2025, Fritz pledged continued collaboration with MSS officers and other stakeholders to ensure Kabiru’s safe return.
The TPC president also commended the MSS contingents for their service to the Haitian people and praised the strong partnership between the Haitian National Police (HNP) and MSS forces.
Expressing gratitude for the dedication of MSS personnel, he encouraged them to remain steadfast in their mission to restore security in Haiti.
In response, Otunge thanked Fritz for his support and assured him that MSS officers remain highly motivated.
He underscored MSS’s achievements in combating gang violence and expressed appreciation for the collaborative efforts between MSS, HNP, and local communities in the search for the missing officer.
Otunge also acknowledged the cooperation with MSS and HNP in the fight against gang violence and their efforts in the search for the missing officer.
The TPC president was accompanied by Prime Minister Didier Fils-Aimé, former TPC president Leslie Voltaire, HNP director general Rameau Normil, along with other dignitaries.
Kabiru’s family
Haiti’s government assurance comes a day after Kabiru’s family issued an urgent appeal to the Kenyan government, calling for swift action and detailed information on their son’s whereabouts.
Speaking during an interview with a local TV station on Thursday, March 27, 2025, the officer’s mother, Jacinta Wanjiru Kabiru, expressed her distress over the lack of information, stating that since receiving the initial report from the Kikuyu sub-county commander about her son’s disappearance, no further updates have been provided.
She emphasised the urgency of the situation, noting that more than 24 hours had passed without any news.
“My request is for the government to act as quickly as possible. Since yesterday morning at 6:30 am, the report I received from the Kikuyu sub-county commander was that my son had gone missing. I have not received any other update,” she stated.
“When I call, they just tell me that my son is missing and is being searched for. Now, it has been more than 24 hours, yet when I call, they still say he is being searched for, but I have no official report. I am asking the government to give me back my son, just as I handed him over—alive and in good health.”
The officer’s mother appealed to the government, requesting the safe return of her son, whom she described as the sole provider and hope for her family.
“Now, I am pleading with the government—I want my child back, just as I handed him over, alive and in good health. He is my only source of support; he is the only hope for my family. I want my son, and I need a report as soon as possible,” she appealed.
