Mudavadi hints at transition of Haiti mission, commits support

Kenya has signalled the end of the Multinational Security Mission in Haiti and its transformation into a force.

This emerged through a press statement by Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi following a phone call with Christopher Landau, the US Deputy Secretary of State on the ongoing interventions in Haiti.

In the statement on Thursday, Mudavadi said while Kenya was committed to supporting the mission, predictable and adequate support for the MSS “or any other initiative”, was imperative.

The two top diplomats agreed that the success of the MSS was dependent on the international community's readiness to contribute sufficient and predictable support for the mission.

This support, they noted, would assist in attaining the restoration of peace and security to Haiti and facilitate the necessary political processes to reverse the prevailing instability and insecurity.

“Kenya is committed to and stands ready to continue making its contribution to the stabilisation of our brotherly state Haiti. We applaud the selfless efforts of our gallant Kenya Police contingent in the MSS in spite of the acute technical, logistical and financial constraints,” Mudavadi said.

He called on the UNSC to pass the requisite resolutions to ensure current mission or any other initiative gets the needed funding.

Some officers have decried delayed payments, saying they are yet to receive dues for July and August.

Sources say other countries had been paid but Kenya is yet to pay their officers because of bureaucracy and failure to submit needed documents. One of the officers told the Star that with the mandate of MSS ending on October 2, they foresee a situation where Kenyan police officers might not be paid after the mission ends.

He, however, said officers from Jamaica, Bahamas, El Salvador and Guatemala have all received their salaries upto date.

"The money was sent from Washington but reports indicate that the government does not have money and the banks cannot pay unless the money is released," the officer said.

Poor equipment and inadequate funding have heavily featured as a key challenge since the commencement of the mission.

The situation has resulted in casualties, with the latest victim being Corporal Kennedy Mutuku. Eight more officers were injured in the road crash in Pétion-Viile, Port au Price, involving two armoured vehicles that were towing each other due to mechanical problems.

The number of deployed officers also falls short of the 2,500 officers initially envisaged, with just about 1,000 troops on the ground, most of them from Kenya.

The call came just a month ahead of the expiry of the MSS authorisation on October 2. 

Already, the US and Panama have sought authorisation from the Security Council for a reconfigured UN-authorised 5,550-member multinational force to combat armed gangs in Haiti, the other initiative Mudavadi could be alluding to.

Mudavadi’s spokesperson Jacob Ngetich told the Star Kenya is seeking an extension and more commitment on the MSS mission. He also added that Kenya backs the US–Panama proposal for MSS transition to a force.

Acting US Ambassador Dorothy Shea had on August 28 told the Security Council’s open briefing on Haiti that alongside Panama, the US would share with members a draft resolution “to help address the growing violence by establishing a Gang Suppression Force”. This is the force that could succeed the MSS mission.

As the co-penholders on Haiti, they will also seek authorisation that the UN Support Office provides logistical and operational support to the initiative.

Security Council members are expected to vote on the US-Panama draft resolution at the end of the month.

Kenya had initially pushed for the mission to be transitioned into a full UN peacekeeping mission, which failed to go through.

President William Ruto and Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke on the phone on August 19 and agreed on the imperative and support for a resolution at the UNSC establishing a UN support office for the mission in Haiti.

During his visit to Haiti last month, National Security deputy adviser Joseph Boinnet said the mission needed additional resources to help overcome operational challenges.

In the recent meeting, Deputy Secretary Landau and Mudavadi said MSS had made “significant strides” in addressing Haiti's security challenges. This is through enhancement of security operations, supported the Haitian National Police and prioritised the safety and resumption of learning in schools, the statement said.

However, a report by the UN Integrated Office in Haiti on June 27 painted a different picture, reporting that gangs had seized strategic locations across the West, Central and Artibonite Departments, spreading violence and committing serious human rights abuses against the population.

“All access routes to the capital are now under gang control. Gangs tightened their grip around the capital neighbourhoods still under state control, negatively affecting access to essential services, restricting freedom of movement, causing mass displacements and severely disrupting economic activity,” the report said.

Between January and May 2025, BINUH recorded 4,026 victims of intentional homicide, including 376 women, 68 boys and 21 girls.

The report said this represents a 24 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2024, pointing to a worsening situation.

“Abductions for ransom perpetrated by gangs affected 327 victims, including 113 women, 14 boys and eight girls, compared with 404 kidnappings recorded over the previous three-month period, it added.

Amid increasing public frustration with the State’s limited protection capacity, vigilante or self-defence groups are gaining popularity. During the reporting period, the groups, as well as non-organised civilians, lynched at least 100 men and one woman suspected of gang association or collaboration.