Kenya’s first police deployment leaves Haitian residents cautiously hopeful

PORT-AU-PRINCE: Residents of Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince expressed cautious hope after the first Kenyan police officers arrived in the Caribbean nation as part of their long-running mission to assist police in their fight against armed gangs.

Hundreds of Kenyan police officers arrived in Haiti this week to lead a UN-approved mission of more than 2,500 troops, but it remains unclear when the rest of the troops will arrive.

Port-au-Prince resident Jean-Louis Pierre told Reuters he hoped the Kenyan deployment would help, but only if they stayed long enough to ensure security was sustainable.

“The country can improve now that the troops have arrived, but they have to stay. A few months or a year will not be enough because the country will be stuck with the same problems,” Pierre said.

The mission, whose initial 12-month mandate expires in October, has left a legacy of civilian killings, a deadly cholera outbreak and a sex abuse scandal for which no compensation has been paid.

The previous Haitian government requested the force in 2022, but gangs have since united and occupied large swathes of the capital, committing indiscriminate killings, kidnappings for ransom, large-scale sexual violence, and paralyzing the movement of people and goods.

Although some activities have gradually resumed over the past month, the United Nations estimates that 5 million people are still struggling to make ends meet and more than 500,000 are internally displaced.

New Prime Minister Gary Corneille told reporters on Wednesday he would take back power in the country “house by house.”

But just as Kenyan police arrived at the scene, an unverified video on social media showed gang leader and gang alliance spokesman Jimmy “BBQ” Cherizier gathering his men.

“Kenya is coming: Shoot!” Cherizil shouted. “We don’t care if you are white or black,” he said. “If you are not Haitian and you are here, we consider you an invader.”

In the video, Cherizzi is shown leading dozens of followers armed with rifles, their faces hidden by hoods or balaclavas.

Cornilli urged armed groups to lay down their weapons, and aid groups expressed concern about civilians who could be caught in the crossfire. The United Nations estimates that up to half of new gang members are children.

“Most young people now have weapons. They eat, drink and have fun for these weapons,” student Vinat Simoni told Reuters.

“I don’t want to be in their situation and I pray to God not to put me in such a situation. What the country needs is jobs so that young people can have a good life.”