Written By Lisa Murimi
Godfrey Otunge, head of the Kenyan support mission in Haiti, has rejected allegations that Kenyan police officers required rescue from Haitian counterparts during a recent joint operation.
The mission, aimed at defending the rural town of Ganthier from armed gangs, took place 28 miles east of Port-au-Prince, near the Dominican Republic border.
In response to claims by Frantz Duval, editor-in-chief of Haiti’s Le Nouvelliste, Otunge emphasized the strong cooperation between the Kenyan police and the Haitian National Police (HNP).
“My officers and my vehicles were shot at,” Otunge told the Miami Herald, “and the officers fought fiercely together with the HNP.”
Duval had criticized the mission, describing it as a failure and suggesting that the operation underscored unfulfilled promises by the U.S. and Canada to support Haiti.
He noted that during a July 21 attack by the 400 Mawozo gang, the HNP provided cover for Kenyan forces, implying that the Haitians were better equipped.
Despite these reports, Otunge maintains that there was no competition between the two forces. He underscores that the mission was a joint effort with both sides working collaboratively to address the security crisis.
