IG Koome on Haiti mission: Kenyan troops have never failed, we'll succeed there too

Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome has expressed confidence in the Haiti peacekeeping mission where Kenya has vowed to send about 1,000 officers.

IG Koome, who spoke during a meeting with Head of Public Service Felix Koskei  at the at the Kenya School of Government on Friday, remained optimistic that the officers would succeed in their mission and restore order in the violence-struck Caribbean nation.

Citing the past Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) missions in Somalia and South Sudan, as well as the recent deployment to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the IG reiterated that Kenyan troops have never failed before and will be triumphant in Haiti as well.

"Yes, we're going to Haiti. We will lead this mission. We have never failed. We'll succeed there too," Koome said, as quoted by the Nation.

Koskei, on the other hand, echoed IG Koome’s sentiments saying the move would see the National Police Service (NPS) "serve as the face of the humanitarian mission".

Following the announcement by Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Dr Alfred Mutua, Kenyans have raised concerns over the deployment with many terming the island as dangerous territory which requires international intervention. 

President William Ruto, who oversaw the inking of the deal by Haitian Minister Jean Victor Génus and CS Mutua this month, has backed the move saying it would facilitate cooperation in areas of mutual interest. 

The gang-plagued Haiti has long experienced lawlessness with reports of kidnappings, rape and violent murders.

A report by the United Nations this week recorded that nearly 2,800 murders were recorded between October 2022 and June 2023, including nearly 80 targeting minors.