President Ruto praises Kenyan police force on visit to Haiti

September 23, 2024 | 11:25 AM ET |

On Saturday, September 21, during his visit to the Mission base in Clercine, President William Ruto, during an exchange with Kenyan police officers from the Mission in support of the Haitian National Police (PNH), joked, “Congratulations… I have been told by commander Otunge that you guys have flattened Barbecue’s base and now he has surrendered and he wants to become a preacher (Sasa Anataka Kuwa Muhubiri!). He is almost giving up […]” Ruto said in Swahili to the laughter of the Kenyan police officers.

Ruto praised the officers for their remarkable work in securing critical infrastructure and restoring peace in areas that had proven impossible to stabilize before the Support Mission.

Let’s recall that a little over a week ago, “Barbecue” publicly stated that Kenyan officers “were ruthless”, lamenting in a TikTok video that the officers, alongside the Haitian National Police (PNH), stormed his base and fired bullets and tear gas at his gang members.

President Ruto commended the Kenyan mission for making tangible progress in restoring peace and stability in Haiti and pledged his support and that of the international community to return Haiti to its people. Ruto called on the international community to provide the necessary resources to the Mission, specifying that this support, including personnel, equipment and logistics, which will accelerate the achievement of the mission’s objective of restoring peace and stability in the country.

Addressing Haitians, President Ruto recalled…

The Mission is here to create an environment in which you can reclaim the security of your Nation and determine your future.”