A Kenyan police officer deployed as part of the international security force in Haiti has been killed in a confrontation with gang members, marking the first casualty for the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission.
Police Constable Samuel Kitwai, 26, was on patrol in Artibonite, north of the capital Port-au-Prince, when he was injured during an operation. He was airlifted to a hospital but later succumbed to his injuries. His family has been notified.
The MSS, deployed to Haiti in June 2024, was tasked with helping restore order as gang violence spirals out of control. More than 5,500 people were killed in gang-related violence last year, and over a million residents have been displaced.
MSS spokesman Jack Ombaka described Constable Kitwai as a “fallen hero” who “died fighting for the people of Haiti,” while Kenya’s foreign ministry expressed its deep sorrow over his death. Kenyan police have vowed to intensify their efforts against the gangs, which continue to smuggle powerful weapons from the U.S.
The force, which includes officers from the Bahamas, Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Jamaica, recently received 200 additional Kenyan police officers. However, uncertainty remains over its future after the Trump administration froze foreign aid programs. While U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later approved a waiver for funding the MSS and Haiti’s National Police, the long-term financial support for the mission remains unclear.
U.S. Ambassador to Kenya, Marc Dillard, extended his condolences to Constable Kitwai’s family, praising the bravery of Kenyan officers working to restore peace in Haiti.