Haiti's Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission is entering a new phase, with plans to establish Forward Operating Bases (FOBs), particularly within key areas of the capital, Port-au-Prince. 

MSS Commander Godfrey Otunge announced this development on Thursday during the mission's first anniversary celebration, stating that these bases are crucial for enhancing intelligence gathering operations.

The move is part of the broader strategy by the peacekeepers to deal with dreaded Caribbean gangs, who have taken over key government institutions within Port-au-Prince.

During the event, the MSS Commander sent a strong warning to the gang leaders and their networks, stating that it would no longer be business as usual.

Commander of the Kenya Police in Haiti and Senior Assistant Inspector General of Police, Godfrey Otunge, on June 26, 2024

Photo

Clarens Siffroy

He noted that the peacekeepers were now smarter, more focused and determined to restore peace and stability in the war-ravaged nation. He also commended the peacekeepers, terming them a beacon of hope and a symbol of the power of international cooperation.  

The police boss also thanked countries that have supported the mission including the United States, Dominican Republic, Spain, Japan and the United Kingdom. He also commented on the MSS's new Complaint Reporting Mechanism, which was recently launched to address cases of sexual exploitation and other forms of human rights violations by the mission personnel.

Additionally, the MSS Commander assured the peacekeepers of the mission's commitment to address their challenges, including logistics and financial problems.

Otunge's speech during the MSS mission's anniversary comes hardly three months following the disappearance of Benedict Kabiru, a Kenyan officer who was part of the peacekeeping mission.

According to MSS Spokesperson Jack Ombaka, Kabiru went missing during an operation in Savien region, which is located 92 kilometres north of Port-au-Prince.

Despite attempts to trace him, his whereabouts remain unknown despite his family's plea for the government's quick intervention on the matter. 

However, on March 27 this year, Haiti's Presidential Transition Council claimed that Kaburi was shot dead during an operation alongside his fellow peacekeepers, and the body was taken away by the gangs.

Kenyan police officers patrolling Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince on June 29, 2024.

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MSS