Murkomen dismisses claims Kenyan police death toll in Haiti is underreported

Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen/ SCREENGRAB

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen refuted claims that more Kenya Police officers may have lost their lives in the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti than it was officially reported.

Addressing the media on Monday night, the CS asserted that records of the officers affected were well documented and widely known, adding that it would be difficult to conceal the numbers.

Murkomen emphasised that as of now, one police officer had been confirmed dead, dismissing any speculation that said otherwise.

He also clarified that a second officer who went missing was yet to be found after his convoy was ambushed by Haiti gangs, echoing similar sentiments made by the Police Inspector General Douglas Kanja earlier on.

“You cannot hide it because the officers who have gone there are countable by number. We know we lost one officer, unfortunately, and we feel very sad in the circumstances under which we lost him,” Murkomen said.

“And we know that one officer is still missing and the search continues to make sure that we find him.”

The CS revealed other two officers had sustained injuries and have since been recuperating.

He said that concealing information of the wellbeing of the over 700 officers was impossible given that they were in regular contact with their families.

“There is nothing to hide. Even if you wanted to hide it, it is not possible because the officers who are there are speaking to their families and Kenyans. There is no way you can say you are hiding information from them,” he said.

The Interior CS noted that information relayed regarding the welfare of officers in Haiti was conveyed in a respectful manner adding that the family of the affected officers would be approached first before information was made public.

A week ago, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja said efforts are ongoing to trace the police officer who had gone missing.

Gang members attacked the officers as they were helping a Haitian national police vehicle that was stuck in a ditch, suspected to have been dug by the gangs.