Approximately 20 of the 400 Kenyan police officers deployed to Haiti have submitted resignation letters over the past two months, citing delayed salaries and substandard working conditions. The information, disclosed by three officers speaking anonymously to Reuters, highlights growing challenges within the United Nations-backed Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission tasked with countering the influence of violent gangs in Haiti.
The resignation attempts reportedly began in October, with verbal notices escalating to formal letters. In October, three officers formally resigned, followed by about 15 in November, including at least five senior officers—one of whom held the position of unit commander. Despite these efforts, no official response has been issued, and the officers remain active in the mission.
Funding disputes have cast a shadow over the MSS mission, despite the substantial financial backing of Ksh38 billion ($300 million) from the United States, including $200 million pledged in October 2023 and an additional $100 million in March 2024. Officers claim they have not been paid since September, directly contradicting statements from Kenya’s Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, who asserts that wages were disbursed through October.
“The officers on the ground are doing quite well,” Kanja stated on Thursday, adding that logistical improvements have been made to support the mission.
However, deployed officers paint a starkly different picture, reporting insufficient ammunition, limited resources, and inadequate preparation for Haiti’s challenging conditions. Armed gangs, whose violence has claimed thousands of lives, have expanded their reach into previously secure parts of Port-au-Prince, and attacks on Kenyan positions have increased.
The mission, launched in June 2024 under Kenyan leadership, has faced morale issues since its inception, with complaints of delayed payments, equipment shortages, and limited manpower emerging as early as September. Despite these difficulties, the mission has managed to reclaim some gang-controlled areas.
The MSS mission is primarily funded by the Biden administration, which aims to transition it into a United Nations peacekeeping force. However, the proposal has faced resistance from China and Russia, who argue that more groundwork is needed to stabilize Haiti before scaling up international involvement.
Haiti’s ongoing political instability has further complicated the mission. A transitional council recently replaced the prime minister, appointing Alix Didier Fils-Aimé as the new head of government.
Despite local and legal challenges, Kenyan President William Ruto has remained a staunch supporter of the mission. Kenya initially deployed 400 officers and plans to send an additional 600. Nevertheless, gang violence has surged since November, prompting the U.N. Security Council to extend the MSS mandate by another year.
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