Kenya deploys more police officers to control Haiti's gangs

An estimated 230 Kenyan police officers arrived in Haiti while 100 others ended their service as part of the UN security mission - Copyright AFP Clarens SIFFROY

Kenya deployed hundreds of additional police officers to relieve law enforcement ending their mission in Haiti on Monday, aiming to maintain pressure on the island's gangs as the country's ongoing political and security crisis continues unabated.

Criminal gangs have long ravaged Haiti, causing strife and instability that has only worsened since early 2024 when they forced then-prime minister Ariel Henry to resign.

The United Nations estimates the armed groups now control 90 percent of the capital Port-au-Prince, where murders, rapes, looting and kidnappings are rampant amid chronic political instability.

To aid overwhelmed Haitian police, the UN Security Council in 2023 approved sending a multinational security mission to the country led by Kenya.

However, the under-equipped, underfunded team -- which has only about 1,000 of the 2,500 officers it expected -- has fallen short of addressing the colossal challenge.

On Monday, 230 Kenyan police officers arrived in Haiti while 100 others ended their mission, a Haitian government source told AFP under condition of anonymity.

At the end of September, the UN Security Council approved development of a more robust anti-gang force in Haiti.

The poorest country in the Americas, Haiti has not held elections in nine years and is currently under a transitional government.

Legislative and presidential elections have been slated for summer 2026.