Kin of 'South Sudan Five' held in Sudan seek Uhuru help
What you need to know:
On Sunday, it will be exactly six months since Antony Keya, Antony Wazome, Boniface Chuma, Peter Nkonge and Ravi Ghaghda were arrested while working for Click Technologies, an ICT company.
Since the May 29 arrest, the detainees’ families have been advocating for the release of their kin through social media, demonstrations and meetings with government officials.
Families of five Kenyans who have been detained by South Sudanese authorities for six months have petitioned President Uhuru Kenyatta to push for their release, saying the Foreign Affairs ministry has failed to negotiate for them.
In a letter to the President, they say their patience has now run out because their loved ones, who are in detention but have never been taken to court, have suffered long enough due to living in deplorable conditions.
On Sunday, it will be exactly six months since Antony Keya, Antony Wazome, Boniface Chuma, Peter Nkonge and Ravi Ghaghda were arrested while working for Click Technologies, an ICT company.
The reason for their arrest, according to the Kenyan ambassador to South Sudan Cleland Leshore, was that they were allegedly part of a forgery syndicate that had stolen $200 million (Sh20.4 billion) from several banks across the world, including the Central Bank of Kenya.
SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
Since the May 29 arrest, the detainees’ families have been advocating for the release of their kin through social media, demonstrations and meetings with government officials.
They held two marches in Nairobi — in August and September — and also waged a hunger strike outside the offices of the Foreign Affairs ministry on October 15, after which CS Amina Mohamed promised them that negotiations for the detainees’ release would soon bear fruit.
On July 28, Ms Mohamed tweeted in response to a query on the matter: “Our amb in S. Sudan is following the matter. Release on bail negotiated. Complex issue due to its criminal nature”.
Mr Ghaghda’s sister Tejal Ghaghda and Mr Chuma’s sister Ruth Muriuki said the families last received communication from the ministry two weeks ago and it was that the political nature of the case was a hindrance to the release.
They noted the health of the detainees was fast deteriorating.
“After six months of struggle, families were finally allowed to go and see their people.... They are still living on one meal a day. People have lost so much weight. My own dad could not recognise his son,” Ms Ghaghda said.
She said the families were planning to wage another hunger strike this week if no action would have been taken by Tuesday.
