Kenya’s Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Noor Gabow, is leading the Kenya police mission in Haiti alongside General Service Unit (GSU) head of operations Samuel Chebet and Administration Police (AP) head of Operations Geoffrey Otunge
IG of Police Japhet Koome informed the three police officers about the decision on Friday, June 22, 2024.
President William Ruto flagged off 400 Kenyan police officers to the Caribbean nation on Monday at the National Police College, Embakasi Campus in Nairobi.
Recently, DIG Noor led a reconnaissance mission to Haiti, identifying an urgent need for retraining local police. Over the past year, he has directed efforts to ensure the deployment team is well-prepared for their mission.
Noor accompanies the initial deployment team to Haiti, overseeing the process, and is expected to return to his coordination duties in Nairobi.
The DIG will collaborate with other nations involved in the mission and maintain communication with Haiti during Kenya’s presence in the country.
Gabow will maintain his position as the DIG but will also have offices in Haiti and Washington. He will occasionally travel to these destinations to coordinate police operations.
Otunge holds the rank of Senior Assistant Inspector General of Police (SAIG) and is the director of operations at the AP headquarters in Jogoo House.
Chebet holds the rank of Commissioner of Police (CP) and is the director of operations at the GSU headquarters.
Reports indicate that several senior police officials sought to lead the Kenya police mission to the Caribbean nation.
The three police officers will enjoy substantial benefits, including close to Kes.1 million monthly, free meals, and accommodation.
They will also receive a free ticket to and from Haiti and a visit back to Kenya every six months.
Additionally, Noor Gabow will receive a package that includes paid travel and accommodation, along with a monthly allowance of about Kes.1.5 million.
Noor brings over three decades of experience to his role. He joined the police service in 1989 and quickly rose through the ranks to become Assistant Inspector General.
His experience from peacekeeping missions in Sierra Leone and Rwanda will be crucial in resource mobilization and overall supervision of Kenya police in Haiti.
In 2018, he became the first officer from the Kenya Police Service to lead the Administrative Police.
Noor holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Penology from the International Academy Bramshill of the National Police Improvement Agency in the UK and also has a Master’s degree in Governance, Peace, and Security Studies.
During his career, he has played key roles in maintaining order and restructuring police operations.
He was instrumental in restoring order at the Bomas of Kenya auditorium during the presidential election announcement when the opposition clashed with government-allied politicians and former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson, Wafula Chebukati.
The DIG also served as acting Inspector General (IG) when former IG Hilary Mutyambai took medical leave, during which he initiated a reshuffle of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to enhance its efficiency.
