By Boniface Ongeri, Adow Jubat and Abdisalaam Ahmed
The five Kenyans taken hostage last Wednesday by Alshabaab militant group have been released.
Their captors, however, gave a raft of conditions they wanted implemented.
The hostages were released at a short ceremony yesterday at 4:03pm at the Kenya- Somalia border.
Present during the release were North Eastern PC Josephat Maingi, NEP PPO Stephen Chelimo, Wajir South MP Abdirahaman Hassan Olow and Mandera DC Francis Lenyagume.
Bullahawa DC Ahmed Mohammed Yussuf Burkus and top Alshabaab command for Gedo led the Somali team.
Burkus read a raft of conditions the Somali authority wanted implemented in exchange of the captives. Top on the list is the release of Somali nationals held in Mandera police cells.
"We want our people held at your cells to be released unconditionally. We also want the Mandera East DC Lenyangume moved from the area because the problems we are experiencing began after his deployment here. We want police to stop harassing our nationals coming to Kenya for business," said Burkus.
The PC promised to take action soon.
Abdirahaman thanked the Somali delegation for releasing the captives. The Kenyan officials who have been in custody are: Wajir South District Education Officer Moses Mwangi, his quality assurance colleague Mr Charles Nyakundi, North Eastern Provincial Quality Assurance Officer James Onchiri Onyancha, Mr Abdullahi Mathey, a teacher, and Mr Abdikadir Mohammed, a driver. They were captured on the Kenya border town of Mandera and taken to Somali border town of Bullahawa.
