Call for sexual abuse probe into Kenya’s Haiti deployees

Pressure is mounting on the UN to take decisive action after Kenyan police officers deployed to Haiti were accused of rape and sexual exploitation during their service under the Multinational Security Support mission, report The Kenyans. Haitian human rights organisations have called for justice and reparations following confirmation by the UN of four cases of sexual exploitation and abuse linked to the Kenya-led mission in 2025. The cases were detailed in a 16 February report by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, which documented 298 allegations globally involving non-UN missions, down from 382 cases recorded in 2024. According to the report, all four Haiti cases were substantiated following investigations conducted by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, raising serious concerns over misconduct in a mission intended to protect civilians. The victims, all female and aged between 12 and 18, were subjected to sexual abuse, with one case involving the alleged impregnation of a minor by a Kenyan officer. The allegations have emerged as the MSS mission winds down, with more than 500 Kenyan personnel having withdrawn between December 2025 and March 2026. Despite the gravity of the findings, no disciplinary measures or investigation outcomes have been made public, further fuelling concerns over transparency and a potential culture of impunity. The UN has acknowledged the allegations, with spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric emphasising the need for stronger accountability mechanisms in future deployments. Meanwhile, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has pushed back against the UN report, insisting that internal investigations by Kenya found the allegations to be unsubstantiated. He further criticised the UN report for allegedly misrepresenting the findings, warning that it risks damaging the credibility of Kenyan personnel who served in Haiti.