In the Kenyan-led peacekeeping mission in Haiti, there have been recent reports of Kenyan police officers not receiving their salaries for three months. However, Kenyan police chief Douglas Kanja has denied the allegations, saying that the officers deployed to Haiti had been paid until the end of October. The clarification follows complaints by some officers deployed to Haiti, reported by Kenyan media, that they had not received their salaries for three months.
Kenya’s participation in the peacekeeping mission in Haiti stems from a desire to help curb gang violence in the country. Since their deployment in June, the Kenyan officers have contributed to the fourth major foreign military intervention in Haiti. While some residents welcome the foreign presence, others remain wary due to past interventions that have been marred by scandals, such as allegations of sexual assault and the introduction of cholera that claimed many lives.
In addition, financial information from the Kenyan Treasury revealed that Kenya spent more than 2 billion Kenyan shillings (about $15 million) on the mission while awaiting reimbursement from the UN. Finance Minister John Mbadi stressed that these expenses were being borne by Kenya while awaiting reimbursement from the UN, noting that the officers are Kenyan nationals and their salaries are being paid by the Kenyan Treasury.
The situation in Haiti remains worrying, with an alarming human toll: more than 4,500 deaths and 2,060 injuries have been recorded so far this year, according to the United Nations. Gang-related violence has displaced nearly 700,000 people in recent years as armed groups seek to expand their control over the territory by burning and looting communities.
Despite the presence of Kenyan police forces in Haiti, some observers have criticized the mission’s ineffectiveness, pointing to a lack of raids on gang strongholds or arrests of criminal leaders. Tensions were further heightened last month when the United States and other countries called for a United Nations peacekeeping intervention, arguing that the Kenyan-led mission lacked resources and funding.
As the situation in Haiti remains critical, it is essential that all parties involved redouble their efforts to ensure the security of the population and the stability of the country. The challenges are many, but effective international cooperation and concrete measures are essential to meet the urgent needs of the Haitian people.