Kenyan Police Officer killed in Haiti as multinational force battles armed gangs

A Kenyan police officer deployed with the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti has been killed in a confrontation with gang members.

The officer, 26-year-old Police Constable Samuel Kitwai, is the first fatality recorded since the Kenyan-led force arrived in June 2024 to help stabilize the country.

Constable Kitwai was shot during a security operation in the Artibonite region and later died in hospital.

Kenyan officials have described him as a "fallen hero" and vowed to intensify efforts to dismantle criminal gangs controlling much of Haiti.

Despite reinforcements, the MSS remains outgunned as armed groups continue to receive illicit weapons from the US.

Uncertainty looms over the mission’s future, though the US has issued a funding waiver to support Haiti’s security operations.