President William Ruto has been honored by the foundation MATANA on behalf of the Haitian youth for his contribution to the peacekeeping mission in Haiti.
Further, Haitian youth commended Ruto’s visionary leadership and his historic decision the deploy Kenyan forces to maintain security and stability in Haiti as part of the UN-backed Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission.
Kenya led the MMS mission after the authorization by the UN Security Council Resolution 2699 in 2023 to combat gang violence in Port-au-Prince and other regions in Haiti that had created a humanitarian and security crisis.
Fondation MATANA presented the award in special recognition of Kenya officers in Haiti at the Port-au-Prince on April 27.
“President of the Republic of Kenya, for his visionary leadership and his historic decision to deploy Kenyan forces to Haiti at a time of great need, A lasting act of solidarity and commitment to peace. With the profound gratitude of the Haitian people,” the acrylic award plaque read.
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Ruto on Police Deployment in Haiti
Following the UN decision, an assessment by the National Security Council and the Cabinet was conducted, and the President confirmed that Kenya was ready to participate in the MSS mission.
Kenyan police officers began their deployment to Haiti in 2024, with additional contingents following in subsequent months.
Up to 1,000 police officers were deployed in the first contingent in mid-2024.
According to Ruto, the deployment of Kenyan police officers to Haiti was an act of African solidarity with a fellow Global South nation that was facing extreme instability.
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In addition, President William emphasized that the deployment was subject to parliamentary approval and was framed as contributing to the international peace effort.
“I take this opportunity to reiterate the commitment of Kenya to contribute to the success of this multi-national mission,” Ruto stated.
In March 2024, Ruto signed a reciprocal security agreement with Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry in Nairobi.
However, in 2025, the mission faced staffing shortages and logistical challenges with operating capacity below the 40 to 50%.
Following the challenges, Ruto noted the lack of international support and the global disparity regarding Haiti.
Further, he called for predictable funding and an orderly transition to a new UN-backed structure, the Gang Suppression Force, rather than an abrupt exit, to address the challenges in Haiti.
MMS Mission Transition
On April 28, the MMS mission in Haiti is in a drawdown, with Kenyan officers returning to the country and the mission being handed over to a broader UN-supported force.
The Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, Kipchumba Murkomen, together with the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, on April 27, visited remaining police officers who served under the MMS mission as the drawdown concluded.
IG Kanja urged the returning officers to utilize their experience gained during the mission to render quality services to the public of Kenya.
150 more Kenyan officers left Haiti for Kenya, marking the conclusion of the mission drawdown.
