Kenya has suffered a major blow following the United States’ decision to cut funding for the peacekeeping mission in Haiti.
The announcement was made by the UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric who said that Donald Trump’s administration has frozen Ksh1.7 billion in financial contributions for the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti.
“We received an official notification from the United States asking for the immediate stop work order on the mission contribution,” Dujarric told journalists.
The funding freeze is part of newly elected President Donald Trump’s push to slash US overseas aid, a drive that has included an effort to shutter the operations of the government’s main aid agency, USAID.
The US had transferred $15 million to the fund, the second-largest contribution, after Canada’s $63 million, with $1.7 million already disbursed.
The UN Security Council gave the green light in October 2023 to the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission designed to support Haiti’s authorities in their fight against criminal gangs that have taken over the country.
Dead end for USAID as all staff put on leave; all overseas staff recalled
The US was the biggest contributor to the mission launched by former American President Joe Biden in 2023.
However, since its launch, the mission has been marred by several challenges, including insufficient funds, a situation that has seen nearly 20 Kenyan police officers in the troubled Caribbean nation resign.
In December last year, the National Police inspector general Douglas Kanja said the about 400 officers working in Haiti had been paid up to the end of October 2024.
However, officers on the ground disputed this stating that they were last paid in September 2024, as reported by Reuters.
Some 400 Kenyan police officers were deployed in Haiti as the first tranche of an international force in June 2024. In mid-July, another contingent of 200 officers arrived in the troubled country.
Each Kenya Police officer in Haiti pockets a monthly salary of over Sh. 300,000. This salary includes their allowance for partaking in the Haiti mission and their normal monthly salary earned as police officers under the Kenya Police Service.
Haiti currently has no president or parliament and is ruled by a transitional body, which is struggling to manage extreme violence linked to criminal gangs, poverty and other challenges.
Currently, it is estimated that the Haiti police force is made up of just 9,000 officers. Yet, about 8,000 Haitians are estimated to be members of about 200 gangs.
