Ruto De ries Lack of Support for Kenya’s Mission in Haiti
Quote from Lawyer on September 23, 2025, 6:07 amWith just 11 days until the mandate of the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti expires, President William Ruto used a high-level United Nations platform on Monday to deliver a pointed rebuke of the international community's failure to back the effort with adequate resources and logistics. Speaking at a side event co-hosted by Kenya and the United States during the UN General Assembly, Ruto lamented that Kenyan officers have been left to battle armed gangs "blindly" due to broken promises, urging global leaders to step up before fragile gains are lost forever.
Ruto, addressing representatives from Haiti, Caribbean neighbors, and UN Security Council members including the three African nations of Algeria, Sierra Leone, and Somalia, described the situation as a betrayal of Haiti's desperate pleas for solidarity. "For many years, the people of Haiti have repeatedly called on the international community to stand in solidarity with them and to help overcome their challenges. Too often, their appeals have been met with indifference or with support that was hesitant and inadequate," he said. He emphasized that the Haitian people, of African descent and fully deserving of humanity's full effort, cannot be left behind amid escalating gang violence that has displaced 1.3 million residents and triggered famine-level hunger in parts of Port-au-Prince.
The MSS, approved by the UN Security Council in October 2023 and first deploying Kenyan officers in June 2024, was envisioned as a coalition force to push back gang dominance and build a peaceful, secure future for Haiti. Kenya volunteered to lead it on the understanding that the international community would provide financial support and critical equipment, including armored vehicles and logistical networks. Instead, Ruto revealed, the mission has limped along at just 40 percent capacity, far short of the promised 2,500 security personnel. Currently, it fields 989 officers: 787 from Kenya, 150 from Guatemala, 78 from El Salvador, 23 from Jamaica, three from the Bahamas, and one from Canada.
Ruto expressed deep frustration over the "hard politics" surrounding the Haiti issue, noting that even the limited support received has been outdated and unreliable, endangering lives. "We have been operating at 40 percent capacity. Initially, it was expected that 2,500 security personnel would be made available. Unfortunately, it did not happen. It was expected there would have been force multipliers, armored vehicles, and logistical support to make the mission successful," he stated. He singled out the United States for providing vehicles, but added that most were second-hand and prone to breakdowns in hostile areas, putting personnel in grave danger. "I must commend the United States for giving us vehicles. Unfortunately, most of them were second-hand, and they broke down and put our people in grave danger when it happened in hostile areas. We did not get any useful support from any other quarters," Ruto said.
The logistical shortfalls have stalled key objectives, such as establishing 12 new forward operating bases to hold gang-cleared territory. Ruto explained that the absence of a robust supply architecture has prevented equipment, food, and other essentials from leaving Port-au-Prince, undermining progress. Under the mission, Kenyan officers were meant to clear gangs from areas before handing over bases to other forces, but limited resources have made this unfeasible. "That we cannot marshal support to drive out the gangs is unacceptable, indefensible, and simply wrong," he declared. "If we are sending a security team, the mandate must be clear. We must also have a predictable resource package, not what Kenya has gone through; a game of guesswork. It must be predictable, and I do not understand why we cannot be serious."
Despite these hurdles, Ruto highlighted tangible achievements since the mission's launch nearly 15 months ago. Gangs, which he described as "cowards" that scatter with minimal intervention, have been pushed back from critical sites: the presidential palace, now serving as the seat of Haiti's Transitional Presidential Council under MSS protection; the police headquarters and training center, which gangs once overran but are now secure and operational; and major roads previously blockaded, now reopened to reconnect neighborhoods and allow humanitarian supplies to flow. In July, the police academy graduated 750 new officers, a vital step toward restoring state authority. "The situation in Haiti can and must be solved," Ruto asserted, calling on global leaders to back the effort decisively.
The human cost has been heavy, with Ruto paying tribute to fallen Kenyan officers. He listed Benedict Kuria Kabiru, an officer attached to the Border Patrol Unit who disappeared during a gang ambush; Samuel Tomoi Kaetua; and Kennedy Nzuve as having lost their lives in the line of duty. While Kenya maintains Kabiru is missing in action, the Haitian government quickly issued condolences, claiming he had died and that gangs were holding his body. "I salute all the gallant men and women in the mission for their sacrifice, diligence, and service, not only to the Haitian people but also to humanity. They overcame tremendous odds to deliver on an onerous but vitally important mandate," Ruto said.
As the MSS faces potential end, extension, or remodel by next week when the UN Security Council convenes, discussions center on transitioning to a larger successor force. US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, speaking at the event, announced that the United States and Panama had collaborated with Haiti to introduce a UN Security Council resolution establishing a broader mandate with a UN support office. This proposed Gang Suppression Force (GSF) would specifically target Haiti's gangs, now united under the Viv Ansanm coalition led by Jimmy Cherizier, alias Barbecue, and aim for 5,500 officers. "This effort responds to the call from our partners in Kenya and has the full endorsement of Haiti," Landau said, noting backing from all 32 members of the Organization of American States. He called on partners to join the US in pressing for the critical resolution before the MSS mandate expires on October 2, 2025.
Ruto pledged Kenya's continued engagement, including participation in any new mission, but stressed that past mistakes must not be repeated. "The next mission, the one thing that Kenya will not do is to walk away from Haiti in haste. That we will not do. Because whatever has been achieved, if we don't provide a proper transition, we are unlikely to lose everything," he warned. He urged the UN's permanent five members and all stakeholders to treat Haiti with the urgency it deserves, ensuring a seamless handover that sustains momentum against the gangs.
Haiti's Transitional Presidential Council President Laurent Saint-Cyr echoed the call, stating that the security crisis remains the primary barrier to holding elections and achieving a peaceful power transition. He affirmed Haiti's support for the GSF proposal. As the UN debates the path forward, Ruto's candid appeal underscores a broader frustration: the world's willingness to rally for crises in Ukraine, Libya, Morocco, and Hawaii, yet hesitation when it comes to Haiti. "It is not mission impossible," he concluded, imploring action to prevent the Caribbean nation's plight from deepening.
With just 11 days until the mandate of the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti expires, President William Ruto used a high-level United Nations platform on Monday to deliver a pointed rebuke of the international community's failure to back the effort with adequate resources and logistics. Speaking at a side event co-hosted by Kenya and the United States during the UN General Assembly, Ruto lamented that Kenyan officers have been left to battle armed gangs "blindly" due to broken promises, urging global leaders to step up before fragile gains are lost forever.
Ruto, addressing representatives from Haiti, Caribbean neighbors, and UN Security Council members including the three African nations of Algeria, Sierra Leone, and Somalia, described the situation as a betrayal of Haiti's desperate pleas for solidarity. "For many years, the people of Haiti have repeatedly called on the international community to stand in solidarity with them and to help overcome their challenges. Too often, their appeals have been met with indifference or with support that was hesitant and inadequate," he said. He emphasized that the Haitian people, of African descent and fully deserving of humanity's full effort, cannot be left behind amid escalating gang violence that has displaced 1.3 million residents and triggered famine-level hunger in parts of Port-au-Prince.
The MSS, approved by the UN Security Council in October 2023 and first deploying Kenyan officers in June 2024, was envisioned as a coalition force to push back gang dominance and build a peaceful, secure future for Haiti. Kenya volunteered to lead it on the understanding that the international community would provide financial support and critical equipment, including armored vehicles and logistical networks. Instead, Ruto revealed, the mission has limped along at just 40 percent capacity, far short of the promised 2,500 security personnel. Currently, it fields 989 officers: 787 from Kenya, 150 from Guatemala, 78 from El Salvador, 23 from Jamaica, three from the Bahamas, and one from Canada.
Ruto expressed deep frustration over the "hard politics" surrounding the Haiti issue, noting that even the limited support received has been outdated and unreliable, endangering lives. "We have been operating at 40 percent capacity. Initially, it was expected that 2,500 security personnel would be made available. Unfortunately, it did not happen. It was expected there would have been force multipliers, armored vehicles, and logistical support to make the mission successful," he stated. He singled out the United States for providing vehicles, but added that most were second-hand and prone to breakdowns in hostile areas, putting personnel in grave danger. "I must commend the United States for giving us vehicles. Unfortunately, most of them were second-hand, and they broke down and put our people in grave danger when it happened in hostile areas. We did not get any useful support from any other quarters," Ruto said.
The logistical shortfalls have stalled key objectives, such as establishing 12 new forward operating bases to hold gang-cleared territory. Ruto explained that the absence of a robust supply architecture has prevented equipment, food, and other essentials from leaving Port-au-Prince, undermining progress. Under the mission, Kenyan officers were meant to clear gangs from areas before handing over bases to other forces, but limited resources have made this unfeasible. "That we cannot marshal support to drive out the gangs is unacceptable, indefensible, and simply wrong," he declared. "If we are sending a security team, the mandate must be clear. We must also have a predictable resource package, not what Kenya has gone through; a game of guesswork. It must be predictable, and I do not understand why we cannot be serious."
Despite these hurdles, Ruto highlighted tangible achievements since the mission's launch nearly 15 months ago. Gangs, which he described as "cowards" that scatter with minimal intervention, have been pushed back from critical sites: the presidential palace, now serving as the seat of Haiti's Transitional Presidential Council under MSS protection; the police headquarters and training center, which gangs once overran but are now secure and operational; and major roads previously blockaded, now reopened to reconnect neighborhoods and allow humanitarian supplies to flow. In July, the police academy graduated 750 new officers, a vital step toward restoring state authority. "The situation in Haiti can and must be solved," Ruto asserted, calling on global leaders to back the effort decisively.
The human cost has been heavy, with Ruto paying tribute to fallen Kenyan officers. He listed Benedict Kuria Kabiru, an officer attached to the Border Patrol Unit who disappeared during a gang ambush; Samuel Tomoi Kaetua; and Kennedy Nzuve as having lost their lives in the line of duty. While Kenya maintains Kabiru is missing in action, the Haitian government quickly issued condolences, claiming he had died and that gangs were holding his body. "I salute all the gallant men and women in the mission for their sacrifice, diligence, and service, not only to the Haitian people but also to humanity. They overcame tremendous odds to deliver on an onerous but vitally important mandate," Ruto said.
As the MSS faces potential end, extension, or remodel by next week when the UN Security Council convenes, discussions center on transitioning to a larger successor force. US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, speaking at the event, announced that the United States and Panama had collaborated with Haiti to introduce a UN Security Council resolution establishing a broader mandate with a UN support office. This proposed Gang Suppression Force (GSF) would specifically target Haiti's gangs, now united under the Viv Ansanm coalition led by Jimmy Cherizier, alias Barbecue, and aim for 5,500 officers. "This effort responds to the call from our partners in Kenya and has the full endorsement of Haiti," Landau said, noting backing from all 32 members of the Organization of American States. He called on partners to join the US in pressing for the critical resolution before the MSS mandate expires on October 2, 2025.
Ruto pledged Kenya's continued engagement, including participation in any new mission, but stressed that past mistakes must not be repeated. "The next mission, the one thing that Kenya will not do is to walk away from Haiti in haste. That we will not do. Because whatever has been achieved, if we don't provide a proper transition, we are unlikely to lose everything," he warned. He urged the UN's permanent five members and all stakeholders to treat Haiti with the urgency it deserves, ensuring a seamless handover that sustains momentum against the gangs.
Haiti's Transitional Presidential Council President Laurent Saint-Cyr echoed the call, stating that the security crisis remains the primary barrier to holding elections and achieving a peaceful power transition. He affirmed Haiti's support for the GSF proposal. As the UN debates the path forward, Ruto's candid appeal underscores a broader frustration: the world's willingness to rally for crises in Ukraine, Libya, Morocco, and Hawaii, yet hesitation when it comes to Haiti. "It is not mission impossible," he concluded, imploring action to prevent the Caribbean nation's plight from deepening.