NAIROBI, Kenya – The United States has extended its condolences to Kenya following the death of a Kenyan police officer serving in Haiti under the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission.
The 28-year-old Samuel Kaitwai was killed during an operation to curb gang violence in the crisis-hit Caribbean nation.
In a statement on Monday, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires to Kenya, Marc Dillard expressed sympathy for the fallen officer’s family and commended Kenyan forces for their role in global peacekeeping efforts.
“On behalf of the U.S. Embassy, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family of the Kenyan police officer who died while working to improve security in Haiti as part of the Multinational Security Support mission,” Dillard said. “The United States is grateful for the courageous Kenyan police officers who are serving in harm’s way to make our world safer.”
The officer was fatally wounded in Ségur-Savien, a volatile area in Haiti’s Artibonite department, and was airlifted to Aspen Level 2 Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, MSS Force Commander Geoffrey Otunge confirmed.
Kenya’s Role in Haiti’s Fragile Security Efforts
Kenya has played a leading role in the UN-backed MSS mission in Haiti since 2023, deploying officers to help restore order as gang violence spirals out of control.
The mission has, however, faced persistent hurdles, including delays in financial support and logistical challenges.
The security situation in Haiti remains dire, with UN reports revealing that gang-related violence claimed over 5,600 lives in 2024, an increase of more than 1,000 deaths from the previous year.
The number of displaced persons has also surged past one million.
Despite these challenges, Kenya reinforced its commitment to the mission in January by sending an additional 144 police officers, bolstered by renewed U.S. financial support.
