Kenya’s controversial security deployment to Haiti has officially wound down, with the final contingent of 150 police officers arriving back in Nairobi this week, marking the end of a mission that began under international backing but closed amid lingering questions over accountability, safety, and transparency.
The officers were part of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission launched in June 2024 under a United Nations and United States-supported framework aimed at helping Haiti combat entrenched gang violence in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas.
While the withdrawal signals a transition to a new United Nations-backed arrangement expected to take over security operations in Haiti, attention has now shifted to unresolved concerns left in the mission’s wake—particularly the fate of police officer Benedict Kabiru Kuria, who went missing during the deployment.
Speaking during the Gang Show news segment on Thursday night, Citizen TV journalist Linus Kaikai used his closing commentary to reflect on the end of the mission and the unanswered questions surrounding Kabiru’s disappearance.
Kaikai noted that although the deployment has officially ended, it has not delivered closure for all families involved.
He highlighted that Kabiru’s family is still searching for clarity more than a year after he was reported missing during an alleged gang attack in Haiti.
“For over a year now, the family has been pursuing answers from the government. But none have been forthcoming,” he observed, adding that the uncertainty has left the family in prolonged anguish.
Kabiru was among Kenyan officers deployed as part of the Haiti mission and reportedly went missing in March last year during an operation that came under attack by armed gangs. Since then, different government institutions have issued conflicting accounts regarding his status.
While the National Police Service and the Ministry of Interior have maintained that Kabiru is missing, President William Ruto, in a speech at the United Nations, reportedly listed him among officers who had died in the line of duty.
The contradiction has further deepened distress for the officer’s family, who now say they have been forced to seek judicial intervention in an attempt to compel the government to provide a definitive account of what happened.
Kaikai questioned the handling of the matter, arguing that the conclusion of the Haiti mission should not overshadow the unresolved human cost attached to it.
“So the mission ends, but the agony continues for the family,” he said, noting that the lack of clear communication has left relatives in emotional and legal limbo.
He further stressed that the treatment of families of deployed officers reflects the state’s broader responsibility in managing international security engagements.
According to him, institutions involved—including the National Police Service, the Ministry of Interior, and the Office of the President—must demonstrate greater sensitivity when handling cases involving missing or fallen officers.
Kaikai emphasized that police officers deployed in high-risk international missions are not mere statistics but individuals whose families deserve dignity, truth, and closure.
He warned that the handling of Kabiru’s case risks undermining public confidence in how Kenya manages foreign deployments of security personnel, especially in volatile environments such as Haiti, where armed gangs continue to exert significant control in parts of the capital.