South Sudan evacuees recount ordeal as MPs demand answers

Isaac Mea, a Kenyan, at the Wilson Airport upon arrival from South Sudan Tuesday. He was among evacuees from the war-torn capital, Juba, where many other Kenyans are still stranded. [Photo: Edward Kiplimo/standard]

Kenyans evacuated from South Sudan recounted the terrifying moments of being holed up in their houses as the fighting continued.

Those airlifted from the war-torn capital, Juba, said they were cut off from communication, and for those lucky enough to place calls, the emergency numbers given by the Kenyan embassy were not going through.

They said many Kenyans may still be stranded in Juba owing to the fact that they had lost vital travel documents.

Isaac Mea, an aid worker with an NGO, said the situation worsened on Friday. “When the shooting started, everyone took cover in their houses, which have no windows. We could hear bullets hitting our houses and if they had windows, you risked being shot,” said Mr Mea.

He added: “From Friday to Monday, we were not able to come out of our houses and no communication was happening.”

Meanwhile, a Mombasa-based transport firm, CB Transporters, Tuesday announced it had lost contact with its three drivers who had transported relief food to Juba.

The company’s director Said Jillo said the drivers were attacked after they delivered the goods to the World Food Programme in Juba.

Transport and other cargo handlers in Mombasa said the conflict had started to have a negative impact on the movement of cargo, leading to a pile-up.

They said if the crisis persists, cargo pile-up at container freight stations (CFSs) that handle South Sudan-bound cargo could lead to a monumental crisis.

Drivers warned

Kenya Long Distance Truck Drivers Union General Secretary Nicholas Mbuga warned drivers not to cross to South Sudan until further notice.

And senators yesterday demanded a statement from Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed on the fate of Kenyans working in the war-torn country.

The senators said no official communication on the fate of the many Kenyans working in South Sudan had been forthcoming.

They also sought to know what steps had been put in place to evacuate those outside Juba.

Senate Minority Leader Moses Wetang’ula said there was little information on what had befallen Kenyans caught in the unrest in Juba.

“We have a lot of Kenyans working in Juba with various NGOs or doing business. With the unfolding situation, we would like to know what steps the Government is taking to ensure their safety, and what is being done to evacuate them if the situation gets worse,” he said.