The National Police Service (NPS) has issued an update on the readiness for deployment of an additional 600 officers in the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti.
In a statement on Friday night November 8, 2024, the police service indicated that the officers have been taken through the relevant courses required before their deployment to the Caribean nation.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja was present at the National Police College Embakasi ‘A’ Campus where the officers concluded their training programme.
Following the conclusion of the training, NPS announced that the 600 officers are now ready for deployment.
“The 600 NPS officers drawn from.GSU, Anti Stock Theft Unit, Rapid Deployment Unit and the all-female Special Weapons and Tactics Team are now ready for deployment in the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) aimed at restoring peace and stability in Haiti,” NPS statement read in part.
Kenya has already deployed the first batch of about 400 officers in Haiti and the additional 600 will push the number to 1,000.
Ruto’s push
The update comes even as President William Ruto engaged with US President-Elect Donald Trump and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken about the Haiti mission.
In separate calls, Ruto discussed with the leaders areas of cooperation in making the mission successful.
“Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Kenyan President William Ruto November 7 to thank him for Kenya’s continued leadership of the Multinational Security Support mission to Haiti as it works with its Haitian counterparts to restore peace and security to the Haitian people,” a statement from US government read in part.
“I briefed President Trump on the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti and possible areas of cooperation with the US government on this important conflict resolution initiative,” Ruto said in his statement.
The latest conversation comes against the backdrop of Kenya’s continued push for the Haiti mission to be converted to a full U.N. peacekeeping operation.
The agenda was among those presented on the table during the United Nations Security Council where the mission was extended for another 12 months.
“On the suggestion to transit this into a fully U.N. Peacekeeping mission, we have absolutely no problem with it, if that is the direction the U.N. security council wants to take,” Ruto said after visiting Port-au-Prince.
After the Security Council approved the mission, Ruto’s administration sent about 400 police officers to Port-au-Prince in June and July 2024 from an expected total of 1,000. A handful of other countries have together pledged at least 1,900 more troops.
However, the efficacy of the MSS mission has been criticized amid delays in deployments of manpower and vital equipment needed to fight powerful gangs.
