Kenyan police receive additional equipment to fight gangs in Haiti

By Peter Ochieng

Kenyan police officers in collaboration with the Haitian National Police (HNP) have received additional vehicles and equipment to help them fight gangs in the Caribbean Nation, which has not known peace for a long time.

The equipment was offered by the United States of America, according to Godfrey Otunge, the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to Haiti force commander.

“We thank the US government for its continued support by heeding our call for additional equipment. MSS has received additional vehicles and equipment over the last one week, leading to more sustained joint operations between HNP and MSS personnel,” Otunge said in his weekly media brief.

Their commitment which is to decisively deal with the gangs in Haiti, Otunge said, has just begun. “The MSS and HNP are conducting clearance operations in Delmas, Bel-Air, Solino, and their environs to weed out gangs and return normalcy in the mentioned areas.”

He thanked the people of Haiti and all stakeholders for their continuous and committed support, that they have exemplarily exuded since the inception of key security operations in Port-au-Prince.

The journey to clear Haiti streets of gangs, Otunge added, will be long and sometimes painful, adding that they are prepared to take for the long overhaul.

“I wish to reiterate that operations to counter and clear gang activities across Haiti are taking shape while noting that it will be a process and a journey that needs all of us to walk together. This will see us realise the common end-state and vision as envisaged in UNSC resolution 2699,” he said.

“Our officers remain committed to their mandate and are professionally adhering to the International Human Rights Law as outlined under the Human Rights Due Diligence Policy. This is to ensure and guarantee that civilian security remains our number one priority.”

He added that the pacification operations will be conducted by sea, land and air by primarily clearing roads and streets to allow normal flow of people and vehicular movement.