Kenyan police have reclaimed Haiti’s largest hospital from armed gangs in Port-au-Prince during an operation they conducted on the night before Tuesday.
Haiti’s newly appointed Prime Minister, Garry Conille, and Haitian Police Chief, Normil Rameau, visited the hospital on Tuesday. They stressed the importance of this triumph.
Kenyan police officers managed to retake one national hospital in Haiti from gangs who have been using it as a hostage zone. The public hospital has been handed back to Haiti government and people of Haiti.
Congratulations, MSS Force Commander Otunge and your team in Haiti for securing the General Hospital from the gangs. Kenya is a major security stakeholder globally. Peacekeeping missions under Kenya usually succeed. @NyabogaKiage pic.twitter.com/91psDMtzkA
— Abuga Makori EGH, MBE (@abuga_makori) July 10, 2024
A photo of Kenyan Police officers Guarding the American Embassy in Tabarre, Haiti, circulated on social media on July 6th, 2024,
Haiti Gang leader Barbecue earlier called for dialogue on the arrival of Kenyan Police. They were seen patrolling the streets in the country.
Haitians have long been scared and tired of gangs that pillaged their way through the capital of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas.
They killed and kidnaped thousands of people in recent years leaving hundreds of thousands of others unemployed.
These criminal activities in result have deepened poverty in the island country. The arrival of Kenyan police has set their expectations high.
“I’m asking the prime minister and the Kenyans to free Haiti from these gangs,” said Mathurin Jean François, a 30-year-old math teacher who has been unemployed for two years because gang violence forced his school to close. “Many people are suffering.”
On 7th July 2024, IG Koome revealed that Haiti’s prime minister Garry Conille had requested more Kenya police officers.
Whereas many people from different countries and especially from African continent were questioning if the Kenyan police would achieve their goal.
However, this did not stop Kenya from deploying its troops to Haiti. Currently, 400 of them are in the country, 600 more are expected to be flown there, dates not revealed.
Also Read: Ruto Deploys First 400 Kenyan Troops For Haiti Mission