Kenya’s president is committing his country to lead a multinational force to Haiti to combat gangs

BY CARA ANNA

Kenya’s president committed his country to leading a multinational force in Haiti to combat gang warfare even as residents of both countries question the plan being pushed by the United States government.

President William Ruto spoke Wednesday at a ceremony establishing diplomatic ties with the Caribbean nation. Haiti’s prime minister, Ariel Henry, attended. Henry requested the immediate deployment of such a force a year ago.

“As the leading nation in the U.N.-backed security mission in Haiti, we are committed to deploying a specialized team to comprehensively assess the situation and formulate actionable strategies that will lead to long-term solutions,” Ruto said.

Gangs have overpowered Haitian police, with experts estimating they now control some 80% of the capital, Port-au-Prince, since the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.

Schools in some areas have closed because warring gangs are raping and killing people. The violence has displaced nearly 200,000 Haitians whose homes have been