The United States has expressed condolences to Kenya following the death of Corporal Kennedy Mutuku Nzuve, a Kenyan police officer who was serving in the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti.
The message was delivered during a telephone conversation between Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Dr. Musalia Mudavadi, and US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on Thursday, September 4.
In a statement, Mudavadi confirmed that discussions centered on ongoing international efforts to restore peace and security in Haiti, a country plagued by political instability and gang violence. “Deputy Secretary Landau conveyed the US Government’s condolence message following the demise of Corporal Kennedy Mutuku Nzuve, a gallant Kenyan Police Officer who died in a road crash while on duty in Pétion-Ville, Port au Prince, Haiti,” the statement read.
Nzuve, part of the third Kenyan contingent deployed to Haiti, lost his life on September 1 in a tragic crash involving two armoured MaxxPro vehicles along the Kenscoff–Pétion-Ville road, an area notorious for ambushes and fatal accidents. According to MSS spokesperson Jack Ombaka, one of the vehicles developed mechanical problems while towing another, leading to the accident.
The crash left eight other officers injured, three critically, who are currently receiving treatment at Lambert Santé Hospital in Port-au-Prince.
Despite the tragedy, Mudavadi praised the US for its steadfast support in galvanizing international backing for the MSS mission. He underscored that the mission’s success hinges on predictable and sufficient support from the global community. The US, he noted, has committed to enhancing the mission’s technical capabilities and sustaining international cooperation.
The deployment of Kenyan officers to Haiti under the MSS framework is part of a broader multinational effort to stabilize the Caribbean nation, which has faced a surge in violence following years of political turmoil.
Corporal Nzuve’s death marks a significant loss for Kenya’s contribution to international peacekeeping, highlighting both the dangers officers face abroad and the urgent need for continued global support to restore stability in Haiti.
