A former United States sniper has warned the Kenya Kwanza government to abort the Haiti Mission.
The government had in July pledged to deploy 1,000 Kenya Police officers to restore peace in the Caribbean nation.
The 1,000 officers who are expected to land in Haiti in January 2024 will give back up to the Haiti National Police (HNP) estimated to be about 10,000 officers for the nation’s more than 11 million people.
But in a video going rounds on social media platforms, the man whose identity is yet to be revealed said the Haiti gangs are armed with sophisticated weapons and have in the past overpowered the local and international police officers.
He further wondered how the men in blue uniforms would go fight for the people who were not of their nationality.
“I’m from the American republic. I have been to Haiti a few times. I’m a former sniper… This is for Kenyan soldiers, it is not good to get there and fight for people who are not your people,” he said.
He said the Kenyan team has got no way to win adding that the officers are likely to face a number of challenges including unfamiliar terrain, language barrier, resistance by a section of the local population, and the gangs.
“You don’t know the terrain. Those people have nothing to lose… you will absolutely die for no reason…,” he added.
He went further and reminded the Kenyan police that America, which is a superpower unsuccessfully tried to restore peace in the Caribbean nation.
The country is not war-torn, but killings, civil lawlessness, gang violence, drugs, kidnappings, looting, extortion, and rape have been on the increase rendering the local understaffed and under-resourced police ineffective.
But Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome has told off critics who have continued to cast doubts on the ability of Kenya police officers to battle Haiti gangs saying they are equal to the task.
