Haitian nationals tried to block the exit of the final group of Kenyan police officers as they prepared to depart the Caribbean nation and head back to Kenya after successfully concluding their assignment.

In a video seen by People Daily digital, the civilians blocked the movement of Kenyan officers to St. Marks and Pont Sonde, protesting their planned departure.

Helicopters were used to carry the officers out of Petite Rivière and Pont Sonde as protesters barricaded roads to block the Kenyan police officers from leaving.

The exit of the Kenyan troops gives room for the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), approved by the United Nations Security Council in October 2025. 

The new GSF will be led by Chadian forces. The first batch of Chadian police arrived in Haiti in early April for the peace operation. 

The protests come days after jubilations filled Haiti’s capital in what was translated as a celebration after Kenya announced it would withdraw its officers from the country.

This now brings mixed reactions as some are seen celebrating the withdrawal, while others are protesting against the same.

Kenyan officers in Haiti concluded their mission with contingents starting to return home in mid-March. Those who remained were set to return recently before being blocked.

In a statement on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, the Ministry of Interior said the 215 officers from the second contingent of the MSS mission touched down in Nairobi.

“215 police officers, who formed the second contingent of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission to Haiti, have safely returned home. The officers were part of our 2023 deployment to support efforts to stabilise Haiti and assist the Haitian National Police in restoring public order in areas affected by insecurity,” the ministry wrote on X.

 The Kenyan officers achieved tangible successes, including securing critical infrastructure like the main airport and hospitals, reopening major roads, and facilitating the return of over 2,000 Haitian police officers.

They also partially stabilised Port-au-Prince, allowing for some resumption of normalcy and freedom of movement.

Their return follows the end of their 18-month deployment under the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, with Chad taking over security efforts in a new, separate force.

The transition is part of a revamped United Nations-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF) aimed at strengthening Haiti’s capacity to combat powerful armed gangs.

The UN-backed mission is expected to expand significantly by October this year, with the Security Council planning to increase the force to approximately 5,500 personnel.