At a quiet homestead in Mwihoko, Kiambu county, sorrow hangs heavily in the air.

On Monday morning, police officers arrived with the kind of news every parent dreads. Their only son, Corporal Kennedy Mutuku Nzuve, had died thousands of miles away in Haiti.

Inside the living room, his mother, Serah Nzuve, struggles to hold back tears as she recounts that painful moment.

“They told me he passed on after an accident. My son had two children, one is a Form Four candidate preparing to sit exams. He was a good son, very supportive and loving,” Serah said.

She last spoke to her son on Friday, and the reality of his death is still difficult to comprehend. 
He had promised to come home in November for a short break, and had already spoken with his children about their plans.

“He always told me how much he loved his work, especially serving in Haiti. Mutuku was proud to be part of the Kenyan mission there. Now it is painful for me as a parent, and also for the family. There is no other way but to accept and ask God to help us overcome,” said Serah.

Mutuku, 41, died in Pétion-Ville on Sunday, August 31, 2025, after an armored vehicle overturned during a towing operation.

The accident left eight other officers injured, three of them seriously, and claimed the lives of two Haitian civilians. He was pronounced dead at Lambert Santé Hospital before his remains were flown to the Dominican Republic for preservation.

According to the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti, Mutuku was part of Kenya’s third contingent deployed to the Caribbean nation.
He had joined the National Police Service in 2005, serving in Narok and Baringo before his final assignment in Haiti.

“Mutuku was a proud member of Kenya’s 3rd contingent to the MSS, where he consistently demonstrated courage, dedication and unwavering commitment until his untimely passing,” MSS said in a statement.

At home, the family remains in shock. According to his mother, Mutuku was not just a police officer but also the anchor of their family.

“He was not sick, it just happened. He was my only son. We used to speak often. I always prayed for him to care for his children, take them to school, and prosper. But now what has happened is not easy for us,” she said.

Her biggest concern now is the swift repatriation of her son’s body. The family wants him laid to rest soon so that his eldest daughter, who is preparing for national exams, can have peace of mind.

Carolyne Ndeto, his aunt, said the grief is still raw and the family remains deeply saddened.

“Mutuku had a family, and now that he is gone, they are left behind under the care of their mother. We pray for strength and the ability to overcome all this,” added his uncle, Philip Nzuve.

Mutuku’s death is the second Kenyan casualty since the mission began. In February, Police Constable Samuel Kitwai, 26, became the first officer to die in Haiti.

The deployment itself has faced challenges. Another officer, Benedict Kabiru, has been missing since March after a gang ambush.

Despite recording some progress, the Kenyan-led mission has been under strain. Officers from Kenya and partner nations, among them Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Guatemala, have managed to reclaim some critical infrastructure and reopen transport routes in areas around Port-au-Prince.

However, the mission is not short of challenges. It has fewer officers than planned, and equipment shortages have also slowed their pace.

In a June letter to the UN, President William Ruto admitted that out of the 1,000 officers trained for deployment, only 991 were in Haiti, with 261 still on standby because the current life-support contract cannot cater for them.

Mutuku’s family is now waiting for his remains to arrive in the country, hoping to accord him a dignified burial. “He was not forced by anyone to go there, so we cannot blame anyone. He loved the place. It is only God who knows why it had to be him,” his mother said.