President William Ruto has announced that the government will send 600 more police officers to Haiti in the coming weeks to help fight gangs controlling Port-au-Prince and nearby areas.
This will bring the Kenyan contingent, which has been deployed incrementally since June, to 1,000.
Speaking in Haiti, Ruto also said he supported turning the Kenya-led security mission into a full United Nations peacekeeping operation.
A handful of other countries have pledged at least 1,900 more troops together.
Violence in Haiti is still rife, and a UN human rights expert has warned that gangs are targeting new areas, causing further displacement.
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The UN Security Council is due to meet by the end of the month to decide whether to renew Kenya’s current mandate for another 12 months, paving the way for a full UN mission in 2025.
This would lead to increased funding and resources for the operation, hampered by a lack of equipment.
Addressing the Kenyan police officers at their base in Port-au-Prince, President Ruto commended the force for their successes over the last few months.
“There are many people who thought Haiti was mission impossible, but today they have changed their minds because of the progress you have made.”
He said they would succeed against the gangs, and he promised to try to get them better equipment.
Ruto said the nearly 400 Kenyan officers on the ground were going out on patrol, “working hand-in-hand with Haitian forces to protect the people and restore security.”
“Our next batch, an additional 600, is undergoing redeployment training. We will be mission-ready in a few weeks’ time and look forward to the requisite support to enable their deployment,” he added.
