A family in Shabaab Ward in Nakuru has appealed to the government to help evacuate their daughter stranded in Sudan amid the ongoing turmoil.

Serah Waithera revealed her daughter Mary Njeri had been shot in the arm while scampering for safety when clashes erupted between the army and paramilitary last Friday.

Waithera says her daughter is yet to receive medical attention despite the bullet lodged in her arm since hospitals and shops have all been closed.

“I am pleading with the President to take note of the situation, she is not well, and I can only fear for the worse, please go help out my daughter,” Waithera pleads.

She said her daughter has been sending her upkeep money, adding that it would be unfortunate if she would lose her life in a ‘war zone’. 

Njeri, 36, had traveled to Sudan last year after a short stint in Saudi Arabia where she worked as a security personnel, according to the mother.

As at press time, Njeri, although scant with details via WhatsApp, revealed that she still had the bullet lodged in her arm and was contacting a few friends to have the same removed.  “I don’t want an interview, please, what I need from you is just prayers. I am working on how the bullet will be removed, the airport was bombed and there are no hospitals open,” she wrote. 

Political unrest and protests engulfed Sudan since Friday and there has been violence in several other cities. 

Since the fights broke out, another stranded Kenyan in a video revealed that electricity and water were cut off.

Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua revealed that around 3,000 Kenyans are living and working in Sudan and assured that the Government is seeking ways to rescue them to safety.

He made the remarks as he called out unregistered Kenyans to do so with the Embassy in Khartoum.

Big problem

“We have a big problem in Sudan, we are looking at reports and bombing is escalating. We have about 3,000 Kenyans stuck in Sudan, they are scared, they are in their homes, nobody is leaving their house,” the CS said.

He assured Kenyans that the Government had held talks with Kenya Airways and were ready to bring Kenyans back home should the situation escalate.

He also made a call to Kenyans abroad to always register with respective embassies in case of such eventualities for them to be easily traced.

“We are asking Kenyans wherever you are, whenever you go overseas…please register with the embassies because you do not know what will happen,” Mutua noted.

“For Kenyans registered with the embassies, we are in touch with them but those who did not register, we have a problem finding them. We are going to give a number so that if you have someone there they can call so that we can know the status of Kenyans,” he added.

Principal Secretary of the State Department for Diaspora Affairs Rosline Njogu also said they have constituted a multi-agency technical team that is monitoring the situation on a real time basis said.

She said the government is currently mapping out a plan for the evacuation of Kenyans living in Sudan, adding that no Kenyan casualties have been reported so far.

Njogu at the same time emphasised that the government is prepared to act if Kenyan citizens are in danger or unable to continue living peacefully in Sudan.

Appropriate response

The team is developing an appropriate response that includes humanitarian assistance to Kenyans in Sudan, up to and including evacuation of all Kenyan nationals.

“The State Department for Diaspora Affairs appeals to all Kenyans working and living in Sudan to stay indoors and are advised to contact our embassy in Khartoum, through the emergency number +24 9900194854 as well as our various social media channels,” said Njogu.

The department was collaborating with international friends and partners to respond to the emerging humanitarian crisis.

“We have also established a local emergency contact phone number +254114757002, for friends and relatives of Kenyans in Sudan to contact us and provide information on those stranded as we undertake a mapping exercise to help us execute our evacuation strategy,” she added.