STORY: These are the first Kenyan police officers deployed to tackle gang-violence in Haiti.
This contingent of a long-awaited, Kenyan-led peacekeeping force arrived in the Caribbean country on Tuesday (June 25).
Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille promised that, little by little, control of the country would be regained.
"The state will regain power and reaffirm its authority so all Haitians can live peacefully in this country."
Kenya's National Security Advisor Monica Juma said the force would prioritize protecting civilians, opening up routes for movement of people, goods and humanitarian aid, and protecting state institutions.
"People of Haiti deserve peace, deserve security, deserve sustainable development."
Gang wars in Haiti have now displaced half a million people.
Nearly five millions are facing severe food insecurity.
Armed groups, which now control most of the capital, have formed a broad alliance while carrying out widespread killings, ransom kidnappings and sexual violence.
However, even as uniformed Kenya police disembarked from a Kenya Airways plane in Port-au-Prince, a different kind of chaos was erupting back in Nairobi.
Kenyan police opened fire on anti-tax demonstrators who were attempting to storm parliament.
Several protesters were killed and dozens wounded.
A Kenyan security source said the Nairobi violence was unlikely to disrupt plans to send more Kenyan police to Haiti.
It has, however, led to some questions over Kenya's ability to lead the security mission.
