Multinational Security Support (MSS) Force Commander Godfrey Otunge has issued an update on a Kenyan police officer who disappeared during operations in Haiti earlier this year.
The officer, Benedict Kabiru, vanished on 25 March 2025 after an ambush in Pont-Sondé while assisting Haitian police and remains missing.
“The last one is the person who is missing in action, one officer who is still missing in action. We have put all the mechanisms in place to ensure that we get our officer back,” Otunge told journalists in Port-au-Prince.
The search for Kabiru continues even as the mission celebrates major gains against gangs that once paralysed Haiti’s capital.
Otunge Confirms Fallen Officers Honoured
Godfrey Otunge disclosed that two other Kenyan officers have died in the line of duty.
One was killed in combat at Antibonnet and has been awarded a posthumous medal.
Another died in a road accident near Kenscoff, and preparations are underway to repatriate his body for burial in Kenya.
“We lost one officer, Kaitwai, who was the first that we lost when they were fighting and exchanging in Antibonnet,” he said.
“The second one we lost was just one and a half weeks ago in an accident … he remains our hero because he died on the line of duty,” Godfrey Otunge added.
Otunge hailed both men as heroes whose sacrifices clearly show Kenya’s long tradition of international peacekeeping.
Human-Rights Record Intact
Despite the dangers, the commander emphasised that respect for human rights remains a key focus of the MSS mission, which draws forces from Kenya, the Bahamas, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Jamaica.
“In July 2025, the mission celebrated one year of zero tolerance for human rights violations, sexual exploitation and abuse. This is a great milestone that the MSS is proud of as it continues to adhere to internationally accepted practices,” Otunge noted.
Also Read: Mother of Kenyan Police Officer Killed in Haiti Speaks Out
On his part, the Kenyan Ambassador to Haiti, Noor Gabow, said Haitian authorities and international partners have commended the professionalism of the Kenyan contingent.
“For the one year, we have not got any report of indiscipline, any human rights violation, and that clearly shows the calibre and the skills of officers we have brought here,” he said.
Security Gains in Port-au-Prince
Since deploying on 25 June 2024, the MSS has reclaimed key infrastructure, including the international airport, seaport, and Peligre Dam, disrupted criminal networks, and reopened schools, hospitals, and markets across Port-au-Prince.
Families are now returning to their homes as roads once held by gangs reopen.
Gabow cautioned, however, that pockets of gang activity remain in Kenscoff, Cité Soleil, and parts of Delmas, and urged continued international support to secure those areas.
Police Kabiru’s Disappearance
Kenyan police officer Benedict Kabiru vanished on 25 March 2025 during a Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti.
Also Read: UN to Decide Key Changes in Kenya-Led Haiti Mission Amid Trump Overhaul Push
His unit had gone to aid Haitian police in Pont-Sondé when their vehicle became trapped in what was believed to be a gang-dug ditch.
As Kenyan forces tried to free it, armed gangs ambushed the team, and Kabiru was reported missing. Videos later surfaced showing a lifeless man in a Kenyan uniform, prompting Haiti’s Presidential Transitional Council to announce his death, though Kenyan authorities declined to confirm, insisting the search was still active.
Kabiru’s family, troubled by the conflicting statements, issued a 30-day ultimatum to the Kenyan government demanding an official status update and threatening legal action if none was provided.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja pledged continued efforts to locate Kabiru, and specialised teams were deployed to recover what is believed to be his body, reportedly held by the gangs.
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