- The KQ staff were arrested on April 19 on allegations of of transporting cargo without customs clearance on April 12.
- Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei said the government is seized of the matter and is working to have the duo released.
Image: FILE
The government has said it’s actively engaged in facilitating the release of two Kenya Airways staff who are being held incommunicado by the military in the Democratic Republic of Congo since April 19.
KQ managing director Allan Kilavuka said Friday the duo was arrested at the company airport offices in Kinshasa and their phones seized by the military intelligence unit on allegations of transporting cargo without customs clearance on April 12.
“However, the said cargo was not uplifted or accepted by KQ due to incomplete documentation. All efforts to explain to the military officers that KQ had not accepted the cargo because of incomplete documentation proved futile,” Kilavuka said.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei on Friday said the government is seized of the matter and is working to have the duo released.
“Kenya takes great exception to the arrest and detention of its nationals lawfully carrying out commercial activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo by authorities in DRC," he said in a statement.
"Our Mission in Kinshasa is engaging actively on the matter. We shall update the public on developments touching on this issue. The government reaffirms its commitment to protecting our citizens working abroad,” Sing'oei said.
KQ said it’s disturbed by the military’s action and considers the targeting of innocent staff as harassment targeting its business.
Kilavuka said the national career adheres to all international best practices in handling and transporting cargo by following stringent processes to ensure all cargo transported on their flights meet the statutory requirements across all their destinations.
“We have stringent processes and compliance checks known as “Ready for carriage”. All our logistics partners must comply with these measures before KQ accepts any cargo,” he said.
The CEO, however, expressed the company’s commitment to comply with the investigating authorities.
He said they are in liaison with government entities in both DRC and Kenya to ensure an amicable resolution of the matter.
Kenya and the DRC have had diplomatic relations for decades dating back to 1968 where Kenya maintains an embassy in Kinshasa and the Democratic Republic of Congo in Nairobi.
The two countries are strategic partners in many areas including trade and security.
The DRC is a strategic partner of Kenya in many areas, particularly trade and security.
Kenya has until recently been actively engaging in peacekeeping mission in rebel-held Eastern DRC.