Multinational Security Support (MSS) Force Commander Godfrey Otunge has denied reports of Kenyan police in Haiti contemplating resignation.
In a statement, Otunge refuted the reports and branded them as malicious, noting that the news outlet, Reuters, did not contact them for clarification.
“The Multinational Security Support (MSS) has been made aware of reports circulating on various media platforms, attributed to Reuters News, claiming that some members of the MSS Kenya Contingent are considering resigning due to delayed payment of allowances.
The MSS categorically refutes these claims. Reuters News did not reach out to the MSS for clarification, and the information being disseminated is both inaccurate and malicious,” the statement read.
MSS dismiss claims of Kenyan Police Officers resigning
Otunge further clarified that all MSS personnel have received their salaries, including monthly allowances, and that no MSS officer has tendered resignation as alleged.
Additionally, the MSS Force Commander assured the public of transparent communication and called on both local and international media to seek clarification before publishing any reports about their mission.
“MSS officers remain highly motivated and fully committed to supporting the Haitian National Police (HNP) in conducting decisive operations aimed at dismantling gang networks and restoring stability.
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We urge all stakeholders, including local and international media, to seek clarification directly from the MSS before publishing any reports. Our doors remain open for transparent communication,” the statement read.
Moreover, he said that MSS remains resolute in its mission to help Haiti reclaim its glory and restore peace and security for its people.
The MSS Force Commander statement comes hours after Reuters published an article reporting that some Kenyan police officers had submitted their resignation letters over the past two months, citing delayed payments and poor working conditions.
Reuters reports that some MSS officers want to resign
Further the article claimed that despite the officers submitting their resignation letters, they had not received any response and had remained to serve on the MSS mission.
It was also alleged that a section of Kenyan police officers in Haiti lamented that their communication was being controlled to prevent any information about their suffering from leaking back to the country.
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It was also reported that at least five senior officers, including a unit commander, who was the first to submit a letter in October, have submitted their resignation letters.
The report by Reuters also comes amid revelations that the Kenyan government had already allocated Ksh2.1 billion to the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti.
This expenditure contradicts an earlier promise that taxpayer money would not be used for the peace mission. Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi clarified that the United Nations would reimburse the funds spent by Kenya.
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