Kenya seeks release of hostages by militia

• Shabaab posts pictures of abductees on its Twitter page and label them ‘Prisoners of War’

Kenya is making attempts to secure release of hostages abducted by the Somali extremist Al-Shabaab militia.

But Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula refused to give details of the efforts saying it could jeopardise the safety of the four Kenyans and four foreigners seized by the militia in separate incidents since September last year.

Mr Wetangula spoke soon after Al-Shabaab posted on its twitter pages photographs of two of its latest victims abducted in a brazen raid in Wajir County on Wednesday last week.

The extremist group labelled the two, a district officer Edward Mule, 30, and a registration clerk with the Registrar of Persons Fredrick Irungu Wainaina, 56, as Prisoners of War.

The group has previously been accused of abducting two Administration Police officers, two tourists and two aid workers.

Mr Wetangula’s announcement came as the family of the abducted district officer, Mr Edward Mule, confirmed that it was his photograph posted by militia on twitter. Officials at the Ministry of Persons and Registration of Persons also confirmed Mr Wainaina’s identity.

“We are making efforts to ensure they are set free by their captors. The efforts are at various levels of government and we remain confident about a positive outcome,” Mr Wetangula said.

He declined to tell the Nation who the government is negotiating with, whether it is willing to pay ransom, or how soon the he expeted the hostages to be free.

“I cannot answer the questions you are asking, what I have said is the most I can divulge because I do not want to endanger the lives of the people abducted,” Mr Wetangula explained.

On Thursday, Mr Mule’s sister, Jane Mwanajuma, said her brother had only been in the area a short time, and did not want to accept his transfer to Burdei from Shantabhu because of security concerns but had no choice in the matter.

“Although he is a hard working and obedient civil servant he was reluctant to go to Burdei as his security was not guaranteed.

‘‘The area has no mobile network and the border not well defined,” Ms Mwanajuma, an intern at a technology firm in Nairobi said.

The family learnt of Mule’s abduction a week ago and has been undergoing a difficult time coming to terms with it. On Thursday, the family conducted prayers for his safety at Karibu Hotel in Nairobi.

The DO is a first born in a family of three with his father working with National Social Security Fund in Eldoret while his mother is a Maendeleo Ya Wanawake official in Malindi.

“My brother’s wife, Mwanalisa called us last week from Wajir to inform us of the kidnapping. Since then we have been getting information via he media although my brother has also been in contact with the government,” Ms Mwanajuma said.