PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – A Haitian church held a solemn memorial service for Kenyan police officer Samuel Tompoi Kaetuai, who was killed on February 23, 2025, while serving in the UN-backed Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti.
The service, held on Tuesday at Saint Jerome Parish in Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite, was led by Father Wilder Jean-Baptiste and attended by local residents, students, and security officials.
Haitian authorities, including Saint-Marc prosecutor Venson François, paid tribute to Kaetuai’s sacrifice.
François delivered a message of condolence from Haiti’s National Police (PNH) Director General Normil Rameau, urging the public to stand with security forces in their ongoing fight against gang violence.
Philip Shiuma Wachiya, head of the Kenyan police contingent in Artibonite, spoke on behalf of MSS Mission Force Commander Godfrey Otunge, praising Kaetuai’s bravery and reaffirming Kenyan officers’ commitment to restoring security in the troubled nation.
Residents who attended the service expressed their support for law enforcement efforts against armed groups that have destabilized Haiti, particularly in the Artibonite region.
Officers stationed at Pont-Sondé were also recognized for their role in maintaining order amid ongoing threats.
MEMORIAL SERVICE HELD IN ARTIBONITE IN HONOR OF THE LATE (APC) SAMUEL TOMPOI KAETUAI Father Wilder Jean-Baptiste, the parish priest of Saint Jerome Parish in Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite (Diocese of Gonaïves), presided over a memorial Mass in honor of Kenyan police officer…
Kaetuai’s body was repatriated to Kenya on Monday, March 10, arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) at 9:30 p.m.
The remains were received by Deputy Inspector General of the Administration Police Service Gilbert Masengeli, alongside Kaetuai’s father, Salaash Kaetuai, and his wife.
The body was transferred to Chiromo Mortuary, where an autopsy confirmed he had died from a single gunshot wound to the head, with excessive bleeding cited as the cause of death.
Kaetuai was shot during a police operation in Western Artibonite, 92 kilometers north of Port-au-Prince, where Kenyan officers were engaging armed groups.
He was airlifted to a hospital in Haiti but succumbed to his injuries.
In a show of solidarity, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and other senior officers visited Kaetuai’s family in Naserian Village, Kajiado County, last week to offer their condolences.
Kaetuai’s death marks the first Kenyan casualty in the MSS mission, which was deployed in June 2024 to help stabilize Haiti as criminal gangs seized control of large parts of Port-au-Prince and rural areas.
Despite logistical hurdles and persistent violence, Kenyan officers continue operations to reclaim territory from armed groups.
