Kenya demands unconditional release of four officials

By Cyrus Ombati and Boniface Ongeri

Kenya has demanded the release of four Government officials being held by Al Shabaab militants after a raid on a police post in Wajir.

The attack last week left six people dead.

After several meetings in Nairobi and North Eastern on Friday, it is understood the Government has sent a message to the militants to release the four unconditionally.

One meeting was attended by Internal Security Minister George Saitoti and his PS Francis Kimemia among others, while provincial commanders met in Garissa.

Sources say the Government is still mulling on the way forward given the bad blood between the militants and security agencies over the ongoing ‘Operation Linda Nchi’.

Two resurface

"Unlike in the past when we used to send elders to go and negotiate for the release of captives, we are in a dilemma for now, but we must get a solution. Already a message for their release has been sent," said a senior officer aware of the issue.

The militants have demanded that the Kenya Defence Forces leave Somalia before they can set the captives free.

Apart from the four, the whereabouts of two soldiers who were kidnapped last July is yet to be known.

Meanwhile, two of those who went missing during the attack have resurfaced. The local registrar and an Administration Police officer emerged on Friday evening, several hours after they had been kidnapped on Wednesday night.

They narrated how they escaped from captivity as they were being driven away.

MP’s concern

The captured, who include a local chief, a police officer, and a District Officer were paraded in the town of Bardhere, Gedo region, about 380km southwest of Mogadishu. They also displayed a vehicle they took.

Meanwhile, police have clarified that the hijacked Toyota Hilux double cabin was not a Government car, but had been hired for issuance of identity cards.

In the meantime, Nominated MP Mohammed Affey had raised concern over insecurity in North Eastern Province. "It is astonishing that a key exercise like identity card registration should have gone on without adequate security back-up," Affey said.