Kenya is bound to face unprecedented challenges in leading a UN-authorised multinational mission aimed at tackling Haita’s gang crisis, according to an International Crisis Group (ICG) report.

The magnitude of challenges include corruption, links between the police, politicians and gangs, outnumbered police officers and the difficulties of protecting civilians in urban warfare.

Haiti has been grappling with escalating violence and political turmoil, exacerbating its already dire humanitarian emergency.

The UN Security Council responded to the Haitian government’s plea for assistance by authorizing the deployment of a multinational force, which Kenya volunteered to lead by contributing 1,000 police officers. The deployment has however been halted by the Kenyan High Court.

In its report, the ICG reckons the multinational mission set to deploy in early 2024 faces considerable operational and political challenges.

“Major challenges lie in wait for the mission once it is on the ground. Haiti’s gangs could ally to battle it together,” states the report.

It adds that fighting in Haiti’s ramshackle urban neighbourhoods will put innocent civilians at risk while links between corrupt police and the gangs could make it difficult to maintain operational secrecy.

“For all these reasons, preparation will be of critical importance,” notes the report.

Haiti is grappling with violence perpetrated by gangs including murder, rape, kidnapping and extortion with almost 4,000 people killed and 3,000 kidnapped in gang-related violence last year alone, according to the UN.

Sexual violence was also widespread, with over 1,100 reported attacks on women as of October while roughly 200,000 people have been internally displaced.

Gangs have run rampant because the state has largely crumbled with the Haitian National Police being too weak and unable to staunch gang violence.

While Kenya has offered to lead the UN-backed multinational force, Burundi, Chad, Senegal, Jamaica and Belize are some of the countries that have pledged troops for the mission.