Civilians in Haiti have reportedly blocked the movement of Kenyan police officers from exiting the country after their mission, citing fears of gang return.
According to reports surfacing on April 20, Radio Generation confirmed residents in Haiti had blocked the movement of Kenyan police officers from St. Marks and Pont Sondé, protesting a planned withdrawal linked to the end of the security mission.
“Residents in Haiti blocked Kenyan police officers from moving to St. Marks and Pont Sonde, protesting their planned withdrawal over fears that gangs will take over once the peace mission ends,” they reported.
Reportedly, protesters barricaded roads in parts of Haiti, disrupting movement in affected areas.
The blockade cut off access routes to Petite Rivière and Pont Sondé, forcing authorities to deploy helicopters to evacuate officers.
“With roads barricaded by protesters, helicopters were used to evacuate the officers from Petite Rivière and Pont Sonde,” the reports confirmed.
Civilians in Haiti have blocked the movement of Kenyan police officers in areas linked to the Multinational Security Support mission, as concerns grow over the impact of the planned withdrawal.
The protests are reported to have been driven by fears that armed gangs could regain influence once the security operation is scaled down.
Roads in key areas, including St. Marks and Pont Sondé, were barricaded, disrupting normal movement and restricting access routes.
Footage circulating online shows large crowds gathering on the streets, blocking vehicles and preventing buses and security convoys from passing.
Motorcycles, armored vehicles, and buses are seen navigating through dense crowds amid heightened tensions during the operation’s transition phase.
Helicopters were deployed to assist with the evacuation of Kenyan officers after ground routes became inaccessible due to the barricades.
The Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti began on 25 June 2024, when the first contingent of about 400 Kenyan police officers arrived in the country.
The deployment followed authorization by the United Nations Security Council on 2 October 2023, with CARICOM identifying Kenya as the lead contributing nation.
Subsequent rotations of Kenyan officers increased the force strength to an estimated peak of 800-980 personnel by late 2025.
The UN Security Council renewed the mission mandate in September 2024, extending its operations to October 2025, with further support for continuation into 2026 under a revised framework.
“The Security Council today renewed its authorization for the deployment of a Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti for another 12 months, as several speakers called for the Mission’s transformation into a United Nations peacekeeping operation to boost its capabilities and secure more stable funding,” the UN statement confirmed.
In early 2026, the mission entered a structured drawdown phase, with an initial group of 215 Kenyan officers returning home after completing approximately 18 months of deployment.
By April 2026, the operation is in its transition phase, ahead of planned replacement by a new security arrangement under a proposed Gang Suppression Force model.
