Haiti, Kenyan police clash with gang during visit to liberated hospital

There was gun drama during a visit by Haiti Prime Minister Garry Conille to a hospital recently liberated from gangs in Port-au-Prince.

The incident happened Monday, July 29 as the PM with the Director General of Haitian National Police Normil Rameau and the head of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission Godfrey Otunge visited the General Hospital premises for assessment.

Both Otunge and Rameau said no injury was reported but there were gunshots fired by both the security and gangs in and around the hospital.

“Later the HNP and the MSS contingent followed up where the shots had been fired from the neighbourhood and pacified the area.”

“The hospital is still under the control of the HNP and the MSS contingent. No fatalities or injuries from HNP and MSS were recorded during the successful event,” the police commanders said in a joint statement.

They said they had visited the hospital and the PM was accompanied by CNN for coverage where towards the end of his interview, two shots were heard from the neighbourhood.

They added after the PM had completed the interview, he left the hospital with his security detail but while at one of the corners of the hospital, some security officers fired some shots to provide cover for the PM’s exit.

“The PM together with his team left the hospital safely and was escorted back to his office.”

They added following the incident, the DG has initiated investigations to establish the cause.

Kenyan troops are in Haiti to help the local officials stabilize from gangs that had almost overrun the capital.

This is the latest drama to be recorded in the area as the officials fight to take control of various premises from the gangs.

The officials have so far taken control of the main port in Port-au-Prince, a major highway and the hospital.

Conille had on July 17 declared a state of emergency in 14 gang-controlled municipalities.

“I authorise the Haitian National Police, with the support of the Haitian Armed Forces and the MS, to gradually deploy and launch operations in the affected areas,” Conille said.

By declaring a state of emergency, the Prime Minister gave the government the tools it needed to act, eradicate the gangs and restore state authority.

At the port, the gangs prevented food, medical and other supplies, including humanitarian aid, from entering the troubled Caribbean nation.

The port was one of the remaining entry points into Haiti used by the United Nations to deliver humanitarian aid to the people, most of whom are unable to fend for themselves.

A similar gun clash had two weeks ago happened as they travelled from Toussaint Louverture International Airport to the Autorite Portuaire Nationale port.

“Both Kenyan and Haitian agents took up positions at several points in the city as the shooting continued and managed to gain access to the port, which has been a no-go zone since March,” said Otunge.

The team is supposed to among others man the port, the main airport, the presidential palace, the main hospitals and the main highways.

The hospital had been closed since March when gangs took control of the area.

Otunge said MSS in partnership with HNP continues to conduct their daily operations in efforts to stabilize Haiti while striving to reclaim critical facilities currently under the gangs.

The Kenyan team has been receiving delegations from various foreign countries as part of their support.

They have so far received the equipment needed for their operations.

Apart from Kenya, other countries that have pledged to send officers to Haiti include Benin, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Belize, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Algeria, Canada and France.

by CYRUS OMBATI