By Ongaga Ongaga
A Kenyan police officer serving in the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti.
The officer, whose identity is yet to be officially revealed died following a road accident that also left two Haitian civilians dead and eight other officers injured.
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The National Police Service (NPS) confirmed the incident in a statement released on Monday morning, describing it as a tragic loss to the Kenyan contingent leading efforts to restore peace in the gang-ridden Caribbean nation.
The accident occurred on Sunday evening, August 31, at around 5:00 p.m. Haitian time (2:00 a.m. Monday, Kenyan time) along the Kenscoff–Pétion-Ville road in the Pèlerin 9 area.
According to the NPS, the officers were involved in a recovery operation using two armored MaxxPro vehicles when the crash happened.
During the towing process, one vehicle overturned, resulting in the death of the Kenyan officer and two civilians.
Eight other officers were injured in the incident, three of them critically, and are receiving medical treatment in local hospitals.
NPS spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga conveyed the service’s “deepest and most heartfelt condolences” to the officer’s family, friends, and colleagues.
He assured the bereaved of Kenya’s unwavering support during the period of mourning and confirmed that the fallen officer’s body will be repatriated.
The MSS, working with the Haitian National Police, is coordinating the evacuation and ensuring that the injured continue to receive specialized care, with some expected to be transferred to neighboring Dominican Republic for advanced treatment.
This is the third Kenyan fatality since the deployment of the MSS mission in Haiti in mid-2024 under United Nations backing.
Earlier in February this year, a Kenyan officer died after being shot by suspected gang members in the Artibonite region.
In March, another was killed during a gang ambush after his armored vehicle came under attack during a recovery mission.
The rising toll highlights the immense risks Kenyan officers face as they navigate Haiti’s volatile security environment.
Haiti itself remains in deep crisis, with gang violence intensifying across several regions.
In August, authorities declared a three-month state of emergency covering Artibonite, Centre, and Ouest departments as heavily armed gangs tightened their grip on key towns and transport routes.
Local police have also borne the brunt of the violence, with two officers killed in armed clashes last month and two others dying in a drone crash at a SWAT base in Kenscoff.
Kenya currently leads the multinational deployment with more than 600 police officers on the ground, supported by contingents from Jamaica, Guatemala, and El Salvador, among others.
Despite international endorsement, the mission has faced logistical difficulties, resource shortfalls, and resistance from sections of the Haitian population.
The latest death is expected to intensify debate back home over the human cost of Kenya’s involvement in the mission.
Kenyan authorities insist that the deployment remains crucial in helping Haiti overcome spiraling violence and restore order.
