Unpaid salaries for two consecutive months have affected Kenyan police officers stationed in Haiti, despite their deployment.
The initial Kenyan law enforcement personnel assigned to Haiti arrived in June, acting as the pioneers of a multinational security assistance mission (MSS) primarily funded by the United States. At present, approximately 400 Kenyan law enforcement officials are stationed in the country, many hailing from specialized units.
In an August 25 update, the MSS acknowledged delays in disbursements and reassured officers that the outstanding funds should reach their bank accounts within the week.
"Therefore, there's no need for worry concerning the financial wellbeing of the MSS officers, as the principal procedures have been concluded," the MSS noted.
On Monday, Kenya's National Police Service (NPS) released a "progress report," revealing that officers were still receiving their NPS wages while waiting for the additional pay related to their MSS assignments.
Kenyan officers had anticipated receiving a substantial bonus for their deployment to Haiti – a demanding task more akin to a military role than a standard police operation. Officers are prohibited from leaving their base in Port-au-Prince during downtime.
Speaking to CNN, some Kenyan officers voiced disappointment and apprehension about the delayed supplemental payments. With schools in Kenya resuming this week, several officers suggested they needed the funds immediately to cover school fees and other expenses for their families back home.
"The officers are discontented following two months without payment. Rumors circulate that the money has already been sent to Kenya but hasn't reached us yet. So, could you intercede on our behalf?" one officer in Haiti told CNN prior to the MSS statement, requesting anonymity.
The anticipated MSS force is expected to expand to 2,500, with additional troops expected from Jamaica, Benin, Chad, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, and Belize. The force aims to strengthen the Haitian National Police's confrontation against an alleged gang syndicate that reportedly controls an estimated 85% of Port-au-Prince's metropolitan area.
Approximately 600,000 Haitians have been uprooted from their homes due to gang violence, and close to 2 million people reside in areas decimated by gang attacks, where the fear of attack is perpetual, as stated by Haitian interim Prime Minister Garry Conille in an early-August interview with CNN.
The MSS is funded primarily by a UN-managed trust fund, with significant contributions from the United States, Canada, France, and Spain. In total, the United States has pledged at least $380 million in support of the mission, primarily in the form of equipment and resources.
The MSS, which includes forces from various countries including Kenya, aims to combat a significant gang syndicate in Haiti, affecting over 600,000 Haitians and millions more in affected areas. The anticipation among Kenyan officers for their supplemental payments, needed for family expenses like school fees, has grown due to the delay in disbursement, echoing sentiments from other Americas countries participating in the MSS.
