UPDATE 6:15 P.M.: The 8 MPs who allegedly took an unauthorised trip to Somalia were freed after being grilled at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Security secretary Murithi Kangi announced that the lawmakers would not be charged as reported by the Daily Nation.
However, Kangi did not reveal the findings following the interrogation believed to have been held at the JKIA Police Station.
The MPs landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Sunday afternoon, March 1, 2019.
The police had reportedly identified the legislators as persons of interest over suspicions of having sneaked into Somalia for an unauthorised meeting.
Earlier on, Daily Nation, Standard, and Citizen Digital had reported that officers were also lying in wait at Wilson Airport along Lang'ata road, which was believed to be the final destination of the plane ferrying legislators.
The 8 have been identified by Ahmed Kolosh (Wajir West), Ibrahim Abdi (Lafey), Rashid Kassim (Wajir East), Mohamed Hire (Lagdera), Omar Maalim (Mandera East), Bashir Abdullahi (Mandera North), Adan Haji (Mandera West) and Kullow Maalim (Banisa), in a report shared by Citizen Digital.
The 8 have been identified by Ahmed Kolosh (Wajir West), Ibrahim Abdi (Lafey), Rashid Kassim (Wajir East), Mohamed Hire (Lagdera), Omar Maalim (Mandera East), Bashir Abdullahi (Mandera North), Adan Haji (Mandera West) and Kullow Maalim (Banisa), in a report shared by Citizen Digital.
The legislators reportedly flew to Somalia for an undisclosed mission in the wake of tension between Jubaland and Somali National Army troops near the Mandera border.
The eight allegedly departed to Mogadishu aboard Salaamair Air Express Flight WU-751 on Saturday, February 29, at around 11 am.
Their trip across the border without notifying the House Speaker is the key bone of contention, as this is the protocol observed under the law. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also meant to be notified when legislators or representatives make any trip outside the country.
The Standard reported that the MPs met the Somali National Intelligence Agency (NISA) officials for a meeting which was not authorised by the national government.
The latest development comes amid claims that Somalia was using them to push Kenya to stop providing sanctuary to Abdirashid Hassan Abdinur alias Abdirashid Janan, a Jubbaland minister.
Mandera East Member of Parliament (MP) Omar Maalim had on Wednesday, February 26, asked the national government to explain the presence of the fugitive, adding that Ahmed posed a major security threat to residents.
In a private notice number 02/2020 presented in Parliament, Maalim sought a clarification from the Ministry of Defence on the presence of Janan in Mandera East Constituency.
According to the Kenyan legislator, the fugitive crossed into Kenya with over 100 armed soldiers and has been responsible for heightened tension in the areas since January.
Several vehicles from the Anti-terror police Unit were spotted at the airport which is currently under heightened security.
