More Kenyans land in Nairobi from South Sudan
More than 170 Kenyans were on Tuesday airlifted safely into the country from the tension-ridden South Sudan.
Two military planes carrying the Kenyans landed at the Wilson Airport at about 1pm.
The first group of 40 Kenyans arrived at 1:20pm and shortly the second plane arrived carrying 33 Kenyans, with one nursing a bullet wound on his right leg.
The last group of about 100 Kenyans arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by a Kenya Airways plane.
This brings the number of Kenyans evacuated from South Sudan to 2,627, according to the senior director of administration in the Ministry of Devolution and Planning, Mr Hassan Noor.
Those who arrived on Tuesday were among thousands of foreigners who sought refuge at the UN Mission in Bor, Malaka and Juba.
Mr Mwangi Munyu who operated a shop in Bor said things were difficult for the past two weeks as they had no food or water.
“We had to seek refuge in the UN Mission for seven days after things got worse in Bor, I’m very happy to be back home,” Mr Munyu said.
Ms Sally Chebete who works with the UN Mission in Malaka said the situation was terrible as bodies were strewn everywhere.
“I stayed in Malaka for two weeks until I was rescued and flown to Juba, the fighting is very heavy, there is no food or water; there is nothing, just dead bodies,” Ms Chebete said adding: “Juba is safer than Malaka.”
She said after an hour flight from Malaka to Juba, they were welcomed by the Kenyan ambassador and were given food and water before flown to Kenya.
Mr Noor who received the groups on behalf of Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru, said the government was still receiving data on Kenyans in South Sudan to bring them home safely.