Kenya Denies Reports of Unpaid Police in Haiti Mission
Kenya’s Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, has dismissed claims that officers serving in the United Nations-backed peacekeeping mission in Haiti have gone unpaid for three months.
Responding to reports in Kenyan media on Thursday, Kanja clarified that the deployed officers had received their salaries “up to the end of October.” The allegations cited anonymous officers claiming delayed payments.
Kenya leads the multinational police contingent tasked with addressing the escalating gang violence in Haiti. The deployment in June marked Kenya’s fourth major international intervention in the Caribbean.
While some Haitians welcome foreign assistance, others remain cautious due to the controversial legacy of previous interventions, particularly the U.N. peacekeeping mission from 2004 to 2017. That mission faced allegations of sexual assault and was blamed for introducing cholera, which caused nearly 10,000 deaths.
Kenyan Treasury Minister John Mbadi explained that Kenya has spent over 2 billion shillings (approximately $15 million) on the mission, funding it upfront while awaiting U.N. reimbursement. “This money we are spending on behalf of the U.N. comes from our exchequer because these are our officers,” Mbadi stated.
The mission faces mounting challenges as gang violence in Haiti intensifies. Over 4,500 people have been killed and 2,060 injured this year, according to U.N. figures. Gang violence has displaced around 700,000 people, with communities being burned and looted as armed groups vie for territorial control.
Critics argue the Kenyan-led mission has yet to make significant progress, citing its failure to seize gang strongholds or apprehend key leaders. Concerns over resources and funding have also been raised, with the U.S. and other nations pushing for a broader U.N. peacekeeping mission to bolster efforts in the region.
