DPP Noordin Haji has removed his claws going for the untouchables in Kenya. He has ordered arrests on allegations of forgery and tax evasion of over sh 41 billion by Africa Spirits Limited/WOW Beverages Limited.
DPP Noordin Haji Press statement on allegations of forgery and tax evasion of over sh 41 billion by Africa Spirits Limited/WOW Beverages Limited.#AntiCorruption_ODPP pic.twitter.com/dMAhRIfeSO
— Office of The Director Of Public Prosecutions (@ODPP_KE) August 8, 2019
More to follow.
History made as Kenya’s Treasury CS Henry Rotich, PS Kamau Thugge and 26 other government officials connected with the multibillion-shilling Kimwarer and Arror dams’ scandal arraigned in court.
Rotich and Thugge despite putting on a brave face appeared to be shaken and walking with strings of betrayal.
Photos from the courts where they’ve denied the charges.
Esther Passaris has criticized Governor Sonko for ordering night evictions and demolitions at Pangani estate.
According to Passaris, the move to demolish houses at night was unfair to children and women who were caught unprepared.
Passaris posted on her official Twitter handle Today, stating that Sonko’s administration was elected to protect citizens and not to ambush them with night demolitions and evictions like thieves.
Baffled to hear that women and children slept in the cold because their houses were demolished in the middle of the night by institutions that are supposed to protect them. Even if cheques were issued, why go at night? The County Gov. shouldn't go against its people like thief!
— Esther Muthoni Passaris (@EstherPassaris) July 16, 2019
Passaris was responding to last night’s awful events that saw Sonko Buldoze and evicts Pangani Estate residents.
“They came with around 15 bulldozers accompanied by a group of rowdy youths who provided security and were ready to deal with anyone who dared to oppose demolitions,” one of the residents affected residents told the press.
” We were terrified by the attack and rushed to Pangani Police Station to report the matter, we were surprised to learn that even the officers at the station were not aware there would be an exercise eviction,” said another tenant at the estate
A recent report by WHO has revealed that Kenyan men are yet to reach the global usage of condoms which stands at 40 condoms per man yearly.
Our local health records shows that Kenyan men only use not more than 14 condoms per year.In the country, records show only 14 condoms are used by one man per year.
Currently released report on HIV situation in Kenya revealed that only 44 per cent of Kenyan men reported using condoms during their last coitus. This was labelled as high-risk.
On the other hand, only 40 per cent of Kenyan ladies reported using a condom at their last coitus. Which was considered high-risk.
Mother to Child transmission (MTCT) cases has increased gradually. The research shows that 11.5 per cent mother’s inffected their children.
Cases of pregnant Mothers living at risk of HIV has also gone high. That’s according to the medical reports and recent studies.
The report also revealed the condom distribution crisis. The more distributed brands were of low standards and qualities.
Records shows more than 182.3 million condoms were distributed in the Kenya in the past 3 years.
However, governments medical research says there is a very low usage of condoms.
In the country, there are 1,493,400 people living with HIV. With the majority almost breaking to AIDS stage.
Kenyan women prevalence is at 6.2 per cent while Kenyan men stand at 3.5 per cent.
Medical Centers and reports have advised and recommended that men should be encouraged to use condoms and other contraceptives.
Kenya Pipeline continues to be flooded with funds spillages as new information continues to stream on how public funds in billions are being siphoned from the national’s petroleum courier.
Weeks have passed since news hit the headlines that the ODPP was lining up arrests in which the MD and senior management were set for arrests but that has just remained that. Touching on procurement where tenders were bloated amongst other suspicious deals, DCI is reported to have concluded investigations and forwarded files to the DPP for prosecution.
We’ve also learnt that the MD was rescued from arrest on the first instance after he was summoned to the DCI for questioning on the procurement scams and it took intervention from a Jubilee executive who drove personally to Kiambu where Sang was being detained and secured his release.
Kenyans have been wondering what’s holding back the ODPP from prosecuting the rampant corruption cases at KPC, we’re informed of high scale lobbying to kill some of the cases from going live to save faces.
Kenya Insights has learnt of a new scandal coming at a time when the DCI has summoned the MD, Chairman and other KPC officials over the Kisumu oil jet construction.
According to leaked investigative report in our hold, KPC is alleged to have collaborated with Supplycor Kenya Limited, an oil marketing company for Kenya Pipeline. The company had placed a Sh.1B losses to oil spillage which was acknowledged by the MD Sang who then wrote to CIC Insurance to claim compensation.
Suspicious with the huge claim, the DCI initiated an investigation into the spillage claims to ascertain the truth. The report however, couldn’t ascertain and declared the claim made by Sang and Supplycor not be backed by facts.
In letters seen by Kenya Insights, Sang acknowledged loss of 11,646M3 totaling to Sh1B. Logistically, that amount of spillage is almost close to impossible and was exaggerated by KPC staff liasing with Supplycor to inflate and defraud the company and public of Sh.1B.
Secret investigations revealed that there was no physical signs of spillage going to show an elaborate plot to make up figures and post false claims. The DCI have been investigating the issue according to a letter dated accord accrording to a date 24th August 2018
It beats logic why the DCI has been slow to complete the investigations into a matter to open theft. Shillings 1B is a lot Money that in its loss would ideally send the DCI to turn tables and stones.
We Are asking the DCI why there’s been a punctured pace on such a major scandal ,we’re also concerned with the laxity shown by the board over the orchestrated theft. What we would expect is the board firing the MD and the staff members implicated in this scam, However it seems the board is either too scared or compromised and also would be the DCI given the slow pace of investigations .
In our subsequent series of this scam we will reveal in details how the Supplycor liaised with KPC mangement to steal 1 Billion shillings. Meanwhile ,we expect the DCI to swing into action and arrest the people named in the scam.
AUDITOR GENERAL’S MANDATE
In 2010 new constitution, Auditor General’s office was delegated into two wings: Controller of the Budget(Active during funds allocation) and Auditor General (Audits after Use).
The Office of the Auditor General draws its mandate from the Constitution of Kenya.
Chapter 12, Part 6, Article 229 establishes the Office of the Auditor General. Chapter 15, Article 248, Section 3 and Article 249, Section 2 (a) and (b) provides for the independence of the Office of the Auditor General.
The Auditor-General shall audit and report, in respect of that financial year, on:-
°The Auditor-General may audit and report on the accounts of any entity that is funded from public funds.
°An audit report shall confirm whether or not public money has been applied lawfully and in an effective way.
°Audit reports shall be submitted to Parliament or the relevant county assembly.
°Within three months after receiving an audit report, Parliament or the county assembly shall debate and consider the report and take appropriate action.
Article 226, Section 4 provides for the accounts of Office of the Auditor General to be audited and reported on by a professionally qualified accountant appointed by the National Assembly.
Article 249, Section 2 (a) and (b) states:
The commissions and the holders of independent offices–
EACC MANDATE.
13 (1) The Commission shall have all powers generally necessary for the execution of its functions under the Constitution, this Act, and any other written law.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), the Commission shall have the power to –
Special Audit Reports that Have threatened Ouko’s Stay in office.
1.The Audit report that unmasks 17 ministries and departments spent a total of Sh66.7 billion in the fiscal year 2013/14 without availing any documents to authenticate how the money was used.
The amount was part of a total of Sh450 billion in unsupported expenditures in the public sector, underlining the lack of rigour in accounting for taxpayers’ money.
Thereafter President’s Chief of Staff Mr.Kinyua came with a coronation directive “The Auditor-General’s reports shall be availed to ministries at least seven days before tabling in Parliament,”Contrary to the constitution which requires audit of Public funds to be reported to parliament or the relevant County assemblies, which have the mandate to interrogate the reports and take appropriate actions. It was also suspicious as to why these would be presented to ministries when the same ministries to be presented to are the ones under scrutiny.
2.NYS saga–where the special audit noted fraudulent practices that led to the losses of KSh1,863,512,256 in various circumstances as is in Case 1 (KSh791,385,000), Case 2 (KSh609,252,760), Case 3 (KSh240,751,576) and Case 4 (KSh222,122,919). This scam involved key and intermediate family relatives and friends to high profile public figures in the country including President Uhuru Kenyatta, Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, Governor Anne Waiguru who was the main Victim, Worn out Political Analyst Mutahi Ngunyi and National Assembly house Majority leader Aden Duale.
3.Eurobond Saga–When The Auditor General Ouko declared that Sh215 billion from Kenya’s controversial Eurobond funds had not been accounted for, two years after the Government claimed the cash was allocated to ministries.
Thereafter, Investigations by Parliament revealed that the Government did not deposit the Eurobond proceeds in the Consolidated account, as required by law, but instead had first put the money in offshore accounts.
For accountability, Treasury said it transferred Ksh34 billion from the Ksh215 billion that was sitting in the offshore account to the Exchequer Account to fund infrastructure projects.
On the same day, July 3, 2014, another amount of Sh53.2 billion was withdrawn from the offshore account to pay a syndicate loan. Game of tik tak that at the end exposed them guilty.
4.Health Ministry Ksh5B Saga(Afya House Scandal)–The probe was triggered after a leaked audit by the ministry’s internal auditor Bernard Muchere revealed billions of shillings were lost through irregular payments. Surprisingly, the investigations by the Auditor General came after a delayed probe by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission. Their delay was on a mission for monkey business since one of the entity that was involved was Philip Kinisu who was former Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman. Again these tik taks led to USAID withdrawal from funding Health Ministry as they used to and so was many other shareholders.
5.In this month of December solely, below are mega Audit Reports that precisely insights on unaccounted public funds hence can be considered stolen:
1. Interior Ministry-Ksh8,600,000,000 Unaccounted. Despite the expenditure scrutiny is exempted by the constitution, it’s unlawful to scrutinize this office but this has led to officials taking advantage to squander and launder money.
2.Kenya Police shoe scam-Ksh175,000,000 Unaccounted
3.Kenya seed company scam–10,000,000,000 Unaccounted
4.Kenya Police Insurance Cover scam–3,500,000,000 Unaccounted
5.Police VIP Copter bought–2,300,000,000 Government argued that the purchase was classified when Auditor requested for supporting documents for the purchase.
Total:Kshs.24,575,000,000 Money Laundered.
6.Ministry Of Immigration Ksh1.5B theft–this occurred last year 2016 when immigration ministry was only able to account for Ksh1.4B Passports and stickers revenue but couldn’t for Ksh1.5B Visa revenue in the Ksh2.9B Total revenue that was collected.
7.Ministry of Tourism Ksh 390M theft– Came to spotlight early March this year 2017. He argued, there was likelihood that revenue collected were being deleted from the system and later withdrawn in cash unauthoritatively. “The system could not also distinguish a late payment with an arrears payment as it applied penalties to both. This meant that levy department has to call back and confirm the payment and manually make corrections,” as quoted by Businessdaily
In EACC, Recovered assets sums upto only Kshs9.7B since its Establishment. This year, it has been running battles with traffic police and puppetry political witch-hunt on Governor Hassan Joho over his Academic credentials which bow no fruits.
I have been Comparing and Contrasting between Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission(EACC) and Auditor General’s office obligations and mandates, achievements and failures. I had to take this to a take a new twist by running a poll on twitter and also views from various communication platforms and the message was solid, precise and clear: EACC had the least public trust with witnessed peanut achievements that haven’t convinced the majority tax payers of their relevancy and more importantly their hardwork.
Therefore my take and wish is on empowerment of Auditor General by giving him more mandate to Prosecute Public fund coffers considering the fact that Procurement, Bribery are the most common on a measurement of 70% mode of Corruption in Kenya. Auditor queries Misappropriated funds, forwards to the parliament who intern might direct EACC who has the power to prosecute corruption perpetrators. EACC has been too mean and ineffective in response these matters. I have come to observe, Big-man syndrome between the two entities(Auditor General and EACC) who basically are on duty to curbing Corruption menace in this country. EACC wants to be first runners in unmasking these schemes and so is Auditor General’s office. The litmus test is simple, EACC is more compromised with Cartels and has lost its independence as a Commission. Controversial interlect Dr.PLO Lumumba was once the captain of the Commission, he thought he would be the game changer,he thought he was the strongest of all, he thought he would be the new dawn, he was brought down to earth the same people, among them cartels who fixed him inn. Auditor General has given Cartels sleepless nights, including Uhuru Kenyatta who wanted him out of office sometimes back last year.
Lately, during EACC seminar, Chairperson Rev.Eliud Wabukala opted for more empowerment for the Commission to work better. I wondered for what motive when Auditor General lacks this power to prosecute perpetrators but works better than he who has. EACC is just a brand, Cartels public institution in the name of a Commission to launder money in a Godly manner from ‘Clean hands’. Those who are left to prosecute after Audit report are tabled in parliament are the same entities in one way or the other involved in these schemes. Don’t expect much.
AG eyes to open offices in every county for oversight mission that worries EACC as they’re going to be outshined and overshadowed.
Soon Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission(EACC) will launch an online public portal to display their Achievement like #GoKDelivers on a mission to convince the public.
EACC and AUDITOR GENERAL RIVALRY
So called State graft watchdog, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, since stated that the Ksh215B Eurobond whose whereabouts were yet to be explained was not stolen while Auditor General report maintained that it was illegal for the Government to deposit any of the funds in the off-shore accounts and above all the government has no documentation Receipt of Expenditure’ to account for the funds hence considered theft act.
EACC CEO Halekye Waqo recommended Eurobond file to be closed due to lack of adequate evidence at a time when state was witch-hunting Edward Ouko for Arbitrary Abuse of office allegations for he was not sparing any Dick and Harry.
#EmpowerOuko
Kenyans in the past few days launched a vicious online campaign dubbed #DeportSouthSudanese that closely bordered to xenophobia throwing the South Sudan citizens living in Kenya into a visible panic. However, according to the initiator of the hashtag, Cyprian Nyakundi, the country’s most popular, credible and controversial blogger, the campaign was sparked by the inaction and deliberate ignoring of Kenyan citizens rotting in the Sudanese jails without any pinch of justice.
Nyakundi, a deviant and relentless justice warrior as his profile dictates, talked to Kenya Insights saying the matter if the Kenyans unfairly jailed for life in South Sudan, had grown to become a matter of political scoring and deal cutting for officials between the two countries. It is for this reluctance within the foreign office that he decided to take the matter up.
However, as expected, the harsh angle of the approach taken by Nyakundi who argued out that Sudan a war infested region has Kenya as a safe haven for corrupt officials to launder their cash. Nyakundi is known to be ruthless and fearless when it comes to tackling matters corruption unearthed several dossiers pointing at Sudanese officials including president Kiir for laundering their money to Nairobi.
The larger good living South Sudanese population in Nairobi didn’t escape the wrath either as a comparison was made between them and Kenyans living in Juba and beyond. Generally; from the interactions, Kenyans feel a gap in tolerance saying; those living in SS are subjected to harsh conditions as compared to the lavishly living South Sudanese in Nairobi and Kenya where they’re treated without discrimination.
On Friday 29th of May 2015, four young Kenyan men are living and working in South Sudan namely; Boniface Chuma, Ravi Ghaghda, Antony Keya and Antony Mwadime were arbitrarily arrested by National Security in South Sudan from a company called Click Technologies. They were arbitrarily detained for nine months on one meal a day with no access to family or lawyers.
They were finally presented to Court on the 20th of February 2016 along with 12 south Sudanese for various charges which they did not commit; such as forgery, insult to the person of the president and misappropriation of funds among others.
The unfairness in court started from the very beginning when the judge set bail per person at $14 million USD. Their lawyer was forbidden to meet with his clients unless during the trial. Continuous intimidation to witnesses by National Security and exactly a month into the trial the lawyer, Kiir Chol was threatened at Gun point by National Security, whose written communication was snatched away from him and his clients’ and forced to drop the case.
Five months of Trial and the Kenyans had NO MENTION in court; this was acknowledged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The court proceedings were conducted in Arabic which the Kenyans could not understand.
With the to and fro from government officials that bore no fruits, unfortunately, the 4 Kenyans along with 12 South Sudanese were sentenced to life imprisonment of 72 years on 13th June 2016.
The genesis of this whole case is all Concoctions and trumped-up charges in the form of “Intelligence Report,” and more of Conspiracy acts by a group of Powerful individuals in the Office of the President. Their goal was to scratch off Former Chief Administrator Mayen Wol Jong and Executive Director in the Office of the President, Yel Luol Koor from their positions. The Former Chief Administrator and Former Executive Director were barriers to these Powerful government officials and allies crooked multi-million business tenders with government through Office of the President.
The report was accusing the two senior individuals of squandering $500million from the office of the President by forging the signature and seal of the president to withdraw these sum from Ministry of Finance and Central bank of South Sudan.The $500million was alleged to have been deposited in John Agou’s bank account in Nairobi.In reaction this, On 29th May 2015 President Salva Kiir ordered the arrest of three above mentioned.John Agou and his employees who among them included 4 Kenyan Citizens were arrested while at the shop, Click Technologies limited owned by Agou.
These four Kenyans had no idea of what was going on.They were detained at the headquarters of the General Intelligence Bureau (GIB) as just ‘State Witnesses.’On 25th June 2015, President Salva Kiir suspended his two senior aides Chief Administrator Mayen Wol Jong and Executive Director Yel Luol Koor handing them over to GIB for investigations. On 2nd October 2015 in Nairobi -Kenya, where John Agou’s wife and his 2-year old son were residing, became a crime scene as his wife Susan Anyieth Chaat was kidnapped on her way to the prominent wedding of television personalities Betty Kyallo and Denis Okari were holding their event at Marula Manor in Karen.She was abducted by Officers from South Sudan National Security Service with the help of plan less Kenya Anti-Terrorism Police Unit(ATPU), and National Intelligence Service then handed over to South Sudan National Security Service officers in Nimule, a town at Uganda-S.Sudan border.
The abduction/kidnapping of Susan Anyieth from Nairobi, Kenya on 1st October 2015 by rogue elements from the South Sudan National Security Service with the help of the Kenyan Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) and the National Intelligence Service (NIS) without due process of the law. This was done with total disregard to the international laws of extradition treaties. She was just a house wife, and she was forced to leave behind her 2-year-old son without anyone to take care of her. Just like her husband and the rest, she would be sentenced to life imprisonment with the fabricated charges and without legal presentation. In the next sequel, we will break down the high table politics and the intrigues of this international law contravention.
Following the viral protest campaign by Kenyans demanding for fair trial or release of their own, Kenya’s ambassador to the South Sudanese Republic was recently summoned to give explanations on the unexpected turn of events by the South Sudanese government. Amb. Cleveland Leshore is under siege to explain to the embassy of SS as to why they shouldn’t be worried for their citizens in a letter.
Kenya and South Sudan enjoy a cordial relationship with Kenya playing the mother to Africa’s last born nation following series of unending wars that saw them separate with Bashir. Kenyan authorities have promptly replied to the concerns, talking to the families affected, the foreign officials who conveniently goes missing in the calm and resurface on the storm, in their chorus, told the family to hold their horses as the government looks into the issue.
The fact that the South Sudanese judicial system is plainly compromised and don’t come anywhere close to international standards no wonder Sudanese and Kenyans were jailed without due legal process is in itself nauseating. The standoff seen to have been slowed down by the elections in Kenya but things would regain momentum immediately after the polls as the push for justice breaks the walls; this is according to assurance from Nyakundi and his group of defiant vicious group of bloggers. It is a gory picture for the two countries that have been in harmony to go head on a real or imagined tag of war. The two countries must move in speed to square off their differences and ensure both interests are catered for. The Kenyans jailed; outright need a fair trial. This too includes their Sudanese counterparts jailed for life under the same questionable circumstances.
This shouldn’t be called a diplomatic stand off as the countries stand a good chance of striking a deal. It don’t make empirical sense when your own citizens are undergoing it exposed to avoidable turmoil. Kenya must pull its socks up and the Sudanese government equally need to subject not only the four Kenyans but entire victims to a clear judicial system not some monkey ordeal as it stands.
By Kenyatta Otieno
Raila may win the popular vote, but no one is willing to hand over the instruments of power to him. Leaders like Raila come to power through civilian coups, but the man is too obsessed with good governance. The only the thing that has changed since 2008 is the Constitution.
Two phrases stuck in my memory during the 2008 post-election violence crisis: political elites and ruling elites. By the time Kofi Anan was taking a walk around the central park to cool off from the negotiations, I had made my conclusions on the two groups the western government representatives were calling upon to find a solution to the crisis. The elected political elite can look like they are wielding power but the real power is always with a small cabal of shadowy, rich and influential figures – the ruling elite.
In the case of 2007 elections, it was evident that the ruling elite had realized too late that power was going to Raila Odinga, whom they did not have influence over.
At the last minute, they must have held a meeting and agreed to prevent Raila’s ascent to power at whatever cost. What transpired next is fodder for a good thriller movie, with a horror ending. The whole fiasco watered down my belief in the democratic ideal of one-man-one-vote and the rule by the people for the people.
The reality that a small group of people can decide if I will take over power or not even if I win at the ballot disturbed me about the future of our country.
The resultant coalition government did not make matters any better, as the hand of these unseen yet known fellows could be felt behind the numerous feuds between the ODM and PNU sides of government.
Nevertheless, I have come to admire Raila’s resilience after that humiliating experience because I believe if someone else was in his position he would have quit politics for good. The 2007 General Election is replaying itself a decade later with Raila Odinga as the only constant.
I later learned that there is nothing new under the sun because such things have happened before. To date, American elections attract funds from corporates and wealthy individuals who put their stake with the side that appears favourable to their interest.
This habit has found its way into fledgling democracies like ours, and so it led me to conclude on one wing of the “ruling elite.” The other wing I believe is composed of influential civil servants, military top brass, police, intelligence services, and the Judiciary. They are the people tasked with
organizing the swearing in ceremony and handing over of instruments of power, and Raila failed to win them over to his side.
The two form the “ruling elite club” because the wealthy businessmen have influence over but are not custodians of power, which is in the hands of the influential civil servants and security chiefs.
The 2008 fiasco led me to believe that Kenya has a pseudo-Electoral College system in the form of the ruling elite. In the US, a presidential candidate can lose the popular vote but win if s/he wins a majority of the Electoral College votes. It does not matter if you win or lose the popular vote in the ballot; as long as the ruling elites are on your side, you clinch the presidency. This is why I am reluctant to categorically state who will win this year’s
elections.
In 2013, the system was very cautious not to repeat the mistakes of 2007. Though the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) was sure the tally had been tempered with, they did not have evidence. Cord lieutenants later came to the point of accepting that even if Uhuru won, the vote was inflated to avoid a run-off thus giving him an eight thousand vote above the fifty per cent threshold.
The one paragraph ruling by the Supreme court, and further “accept and move on.” the campaign in the media was a clear show of a ruling class that was prepared to keep Raila out of power without leaving any Tracks of their actions. Going by the current ratings, Raila Odinga of National Super Alliance (Nasa) looks like a frontrunner against a gritty incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta of Jubilee Party. (Story Continues…)
NOTE: For the complete story of this incisive analysis and other special reports on the August 8th election get yourself a copy of Nairobi Law Monthly from your local magazine vendor, supermarket or get a digital copy HERE
The freshly ignited war in South Sudan that has seen nearly 500 people dead under a week and hundreds of thousands displaced continue to wreak havoc. Despite President Kiir and his Deputy Machar calling for a ceasefire, the tension is still high in Africa’s youngest country and many live in fear.
Countries have put in place evacuation strategies for their citizens held up in the bullet ridden country. US, UK, China, France, Italy, India and other serious countries who mind the safety of their citizens have sent chartered planes to fly out their trapped citizens to safety. While those governments are doing what they’re rightfully meant to do, protect and ensure safety of its citizens in and out of the country, Kenyan government doesn’t seem to have been moved by the bloodbath taking place in its neighboring country.
Since the gunfight began and news of deaths started coming in as the situation worsened, social media have put heavy pressure on the foreign ministry and the Kenyan embassy in Sudan to issue a statement and its plan on ensuring safety of Kenyan citizens holed up in the warring country. They responded by giving out hotline numbers that should be used by Kenyans trapped in South Sudan to communicate with the embassy to ensure their safety. It would later turn out that the numbers were unreachable.
Kenyan citizens have been left in the cold, feeling betrayed by their own government who doesn’t seem to be doing much to rescue them from the bloody streets of South Sudan. I have been contacted by the association of Kenyans living in South Sudan to highlight on their plight and remain unamused by the flimsy efforts put by the government to save them.
“The embassy is unhelpful, they don’t even have an evacuation plan yet, all they’re saying is they can only facilitate issuance of passports and it ends there.” Says a furious Kenyan in South Sudan on her predicament. “While other countries are bringing in planes to evacuate their people, we’re left here on our own like we don’t have a government back home and we pay taxes. We are mad.” She adds.
Most of the trapped Kenyans have resorted to plot their own exit strategies with a huge number left with no option but to wait for the tension to go down. As at the time of publishing, Uganda had sent its army to go rescue its citizens from South Sudan via road and some Kenyans are hoping to hike a ride back home under the protection of the Ugandan army as that is their only remaining hope.
The Kenyan embassy is flocked with distressed citizens but there is little hope for relief. “Our hands are tied, there’s little we can do but were trying to organize something.” This has become the chorus in the embassy’s corridors. Just the other day, some truck drivers braved through the gunshots to try and come back home but were killed by the forces before they could cross the border.
Travelling back home by road is very risky and Kenyans in South Sudan are left living in full fear. It is not clear for how long our brothers and sisters have to suffer before the government can wake up and do what is expected of them- ensure the security of her citizens.