Kenya Makes U-Turn in Haiti Security Plan

The Kenyan government has changed its plans regarding the role of its police officers deployed to Haiti. 

Initially, the officers were meant to help fight heavily armed gangs that have gained control over swaths of Haiti. However, the Kenyan government has now said the officers will only be responsible for guarding important infrastructure such as airports, seaports, and main roads. This alteration of plans has not been received well by the diplomatic community and security professionals in Haiti, regarding it as ill-advised.

“Most of the critical infrastructure they were quoting are in the hands of the gangs. Before protecting this critical infrastructure, you have to first take them back,” the Miami Herald report details.

The Kenyan delegation refers to the units as the Static Protection Force. A report has revealed that the Kenyan security assessment team consisting of 10 members including high-ranking police officials was accompanied by U.S. soldiers for protection during their meeting with over a dozen officials from the U.S. State Department. Kenya has presented several conditions to both Haiti and the U.S. before committing to deploy its officers to help safeguard the residents from criminal gangs. 

“This is not what some Haitian government ministers envisioned when they agreed back in October to appeal for the international community’s help,” high-ranking government officials were quoted by Miami Herald.

While Haiti had asked Kenya for 2,000 policemen, Kenya has only committed to sending 1,000 officers and is encouraging other nations to contribute their own contingent of police officers. Kenya's decision to deploy officers was touted by both the United Nations and the United States with the latter announcing plans to put forward a U.N. Security Council resolution that would authorize Kenya to lead the multinational police force to help combat gangs in Haiti.

Meanwhile, the Kenyan-led multinational mission that aims to restore control in Haitian towns enslaved by gangs has been met with opposition, specifically from a noteworthy criminal figure, Jimmy Cherizier, leader of the G9 family and allies. Cherizier had last week emphasized that his militia will not tolerate the foreign deployment to conduct activities deemed tyrannical against its civilians.