The Kenyan government has come out strongly to dismiss a viral video that was claimed to show the final moments of Benedict Kabiru, a Kenyan police officer currently deployed in Haiti.
Jack Ombaka, the spokesperson for the Ministry of State for Security, made it clear in a public statement that the video being circulated online is fake. He said, “The video is not authentic. It does not depict any Kenyan officer, and we urge the public to stop sharing it.”
His remarks followed widespread fear and confusion after the video spread across platforms like X (formerly Twitter), where it was shared by major media outlets including NTV Kenya.
The video, which showed a man in a police uniform appearing to be in distress during a violent confrontation, quickly sparked concern among Kenyans. Many online users claimed that the person in the video was Officer Kabiru, one of the Kenyan police officers who had been sent to Haiti as part of a multinational peacekeeping mission.
This led to growing anxiety among citizens and especially the families of the deployed officers. The mission in Haiti is part of an international effort to restore peace and stability in the country, which has been suffering from severe gang violence and lawlessness, particularly in the capital city, Port-au-Prince.
Over the past few days, there have been increasing rumors that Officer Kabiru was missing in action. These claims gained traction after the video began to circulate, making the situation more tense. However, Jack Ombaka made it very clear that no such incident has occurred.
He said that all Kenyan officers deployed to Haiti are safe and accounted for. “We are in constant communication with the team on the ground,” he said, trying to calm the public.
Even though the deployment of Kenyan police officers to Haiti has been praised in some international circles, there has been a lot of debate and concern within Kenya.
Some local politicians and human rights groups have questioned the wisdom of sending officers to such a dangerous place, especially when Kenya has its own security challenges.
But the government has stood firm in its decision, saying that Kenya has a role to play in global peace missions.Ombaka also asked Kenyans to be more careful with the information they share online. He said that spreading unverified content can create unnecessary fear and panic.
He asked everyone to wait for official updates from the government before jumping to conclusions. As it stands now, there are no confirmed reports of any injuries or deaths involving Kenyan police officers in Haiti.
The government says it is monitoring the situation closely and is doing everything possible to ensure the safety and security of the officers who are serving abroad.
