A new report by the United Nations has raised serious concerns about the conduct of Kenyan police officers who were deployed to Haiti under a multinational security mission.
The findings confirm that some members of the Kenya-led force were involved in sexual abuse against women and girls, including a 12-year-old child, during their time in the troubled Caribbean nation.
According to the report, investigators verified four separate rape cases linked to the Multinational Security Support mission.
All the victims were female, and three of them were minors aged 12, 16, and 16, while the fourth was 18 years old.
The cases were classified as “violations corroborated,” meaning there was enough evidence to confirm that the abuse took place. Despite this, there is little public information on whether any action has been taken against the officers involved.
The mission was approved by the United Nations Security Council in 2023, with Kenya taking a leading role. Deployment of Kenyan police officers began in 2024, with the aim of helping Haiti deal with widespread gang violence that had disrupted daily life.
The mission was seen as an important step for Kenya’s role in international peacekeeping. However, these latest findings have now cast a shadow over that effort.In one of the most disturbing cases, the victim was a 12-year-old girl. The report indicates that the mission carried out an internal investigation into this incident, but it does not clearly state what action, if any, was taken afterward.
This lack of transparency has raised concerns about whether justice is being served. When institutions investigate themselves without sharing outcomes, it often leads to questions about fairness and accountability.
Three of the four cases were still listed as “pending” at the time the report was released. It is also unclear whether the Kenyan authorities, including the Kenya National Police Service, conducted their own investigations or took disciplinary steps against those involved.
So far, there has been no detailed public response addressing the confirmed cases.
Stéphane Dujarric, speaking on behalf of the United Nations, acknowledged the seriousness of the issue and stressed the need for strong systems to prevent and respond to such abuse. He said there must be clear mechanisms to investigate allegations and report findings openly to maintain trust in international missions.
The report comes shortly after Kenya completed the withdrawal of its final group of officers from Haiti.
At the same time, a new contingent from Chad has taken over security duties. The transition marks the end of Kenya’s direct involvement, but the issues raised in the report remain unresolved.
Kenya had presented the mission as a major step in showing that African countries can lead global peacekeeping efforts. William Ruto had strongly supported the deployment, positioning it as both a diplomatic and security milestone.
Now, with these findings confirmed, attention is turning to how the government will respond.
Human rights groups argue that silence or delays in action can make the situation worse for victims. Survivors of sexual violence often face many challenges when seeking justice, and lack of clear accountability can discourage others from coming forward.
The report has now placed pressure on both the United Nations and the Kenyan government to ensure that those responsible are held to account.
