• It is estimated that 200 to 300 gangs control larges swathes of the country, with 90 per cent of the capital, Port-au-Prince under gangs.
• On March 1, Prime Minister Henry visited Kenya and witnessed the signing of an agreement on the deployment of 1000 Kenyan police to Haiti.
It is estimated that 200 to 300 gangs control large swathes of the country, with 90% of the capital, Port-au-Prince under gangs. https://rb.gy/9ayvpx
Image: HANDOUT
Kenya will send 1,000 police officers to Haiti to help contain gang violence.
The news has been received by mixed reactions as Kenyans follow developments in the troubled Caribbean country.
Gangs influence has continued to grow in the country since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021.
Prime Minister Ariel Henry took over the reins of power as acting President.
It is estimated that 200 to 300 gangs control larges swathes of the country, with 90 per cent of the capital, Port-au-Prince under gangs.
In July 2023, Kenya pledged to offer 1,000 police officers after Haiti appealed for international help to assist in battling the gangs blamed for spiraling violence.
On October 13, 2023, the National Security Council and Cabinet approved the deployment of 1,000 police officers.
On November 16, 2023, Parliament unanimously approved the deployment.
On March 1, Prime Minister Henry visited Kenya and witnessed the signing of an agreement on the deployment of the troops.
President William Ruto witnessed the signing of the agreement.
The 1,000 police officers will work under the Multi-National Security Support Mission.
The adoption of Resolution 2699 on October 2, 2023, by the United Nations Security Council authorised the deployment of the multinational security support mission to Haiti.
Kenya agreed to lead the coordination of the international mission after a request by member states.
Burundi, Chad, Senegal, Jamaica and Belize have also pledged to send additional troops.
Gang influence has been on the rise in Haiti for over two years and the ring leaders have in recent days intensified calls for Ariel Henry's resignation as Prime Minister.
The latest wave of violence began after Henry’s visit to Kenya with the gangs demanding that he does not go back to the country.
He, however, defied and proceeded but an attempt to take over the country's airport on March 3 by the gangs seemingly aborted plans for him to land home.
The airport was closed and no planes were scheduled to land or take off on that day.
Henry’s whereabouts remained unknown until Wednesday when it emerged that he had flown to Puerto Rico.
The gangs are led by Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier, a former elite police officer in Haiti. He is also considered the de facto leader of the powerful gangs.
The activities of the gangs have led to displacements, deaths and injuries.
According to the United Nations, around 3,000 people were killed last year as a result of gang violence while 1,500 others were kidnapped for ransom.
The violence has so far displaced over 200,000 Haitians.
In January 2024 alone, at least 806 people were either killed, injured or kidnapped by gangs, while in 2023, 83 per cent of killings and injuries were as a result of gang violence.
After trying to block the PM’s return, the gangs also unsuccessfully tried to take over the capital’s airport on March 3.
During the aborting airports takeover by the gangs, over 4,700 inmates broke out of two main prisons.
Most of the inmates were believed to have been gang members.
The latest wave of attacks directed mainly at government institutions led the Haitian government to declare a state of emergency and impose a curfew.
Prime Minister Ariel Henry reportedly authorised the order while still on Kenyan soil.
It was announced by Finance Minister Patrick Boivert, who is also acting Prime minister.