200 Kenyans airlifted from Juba

Some of the Kenyans who were evacuated from South Sudan disembarks from a Kenya Defence Forces plane at Wilson Airport after their evacuation on December 30, 2013. Photo/EVANS HABIL 

In Summary

• So far, 2,300 have been evacuated from South Sudan since the outbreak of violence
• Thousands of foreigners sought refuge in UN camps

By LUCAS BARASA
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More than 200 Kenyans who were among thousands stranded in South Sudan were evacuated by the military from the troubled country on Monday.

The first military plane carrying the Kenyans landed at Wilson Airport in Nairobi shortly before 1pm.

So far, 2,300 Kenyans have been evacuated from South Sudan, according to Kenya Defence Forces and Kenya Airways officials.

A COUP ATTEMPT

The majority of those flown home lived and worked in Bor, where fighting has been intense in the past one week. They said they were happy to be back home safely.

The government has been removing Kenyans from South Sudan following a coup attempt and fighting that has left thousands of people dead and others injured.

The Kenyans, who arrived on Monday, were among thousands of foreigners who sought refuge at the UN Mission in Bor when the clashes erupted. More than 100,000 have also sought refuge at UN camps.

Mr Joseph Ndegwa, who operated a motorbike taxi in Bor, said he and other Kenyans managed to flee to the UN building where he stayed until on Monday.

“Food was a luxury that many of us had to do without at the safety camps we were holed in. We were provided with adequate rations of water but had to forage for anything we could put in our mouths,” Mr Ndegwa said. “I will never go back there.”

His house, like many others, was looted.

Ms Joyce Nyokabi, 30, who has lived in Bor for a year, said she had to jump over dead bodies to collect scraps of food on the streets. Two of her relatives are still in South Sudan.

Mr Hillary Luseno, 30, a former construction worker who now trades in cloths, said he might consider returning to South Sudan and resume his business if the situation returns to normal.

Stone mason Eric Mwanzia said the situation in Bor was so bad that “a friend could be killed as you watched.”

“Foreigners were harassed and some beaten and killed. Some Kenyans were among those killed including one known as Karanja who was found burning charcoal in the bush,” he said.