Muthomi Ireri
Kenyan Police Officers Patrol Outside US Embassy in Haiti Amid Calls for Peace
On Friday, Kenyan police officers were spotted patrolling outside the US embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital. Dressed in their standard uniforms with body armor, helmets, and automatic weapons, the officers interacted with curious onlookers, with one officer reassuring, “We are here to bring peace, of course, not to fight.”
These officers represent the first U.N.-backed contingent of foreign police to arrive in Haiti, nearly two years after the country urgently requested international assistance to combat escalating gang violence.
Nearby, Jimmy Cherizier, also known as Barbecue, a former elite police officer who now leads the powerful G9 Family and Allies gang federation, held an impromptu press conference in the street. Criticizing Prime Minister Garry Connille, Cherizier accused him of failing to engage in dialogue with the G9 Family and their allies.
“Let’s focus on the solution; the real solution is a national dialogue where every Haitian, without discrimination, has the right to speak,” Cherizier stated. “We want dialogue because we don’t want war. We want dialogue because we want peace.”
Notably, Cherizier ditched his usual uniform and guns in favor of a striking red suit, signaling a shift towards advocating for peace and dialogue.
Dj Vnyash
Silverio Omari
