A number of Kenyan students evacuated from Sudan on Tuesday, April 25, faulted the government for announcing that it rescued them from the war, claiming they orchestrated their escape.
According to one of the students who spoke to BBC after they arrived in Kenya, the repatriates argued that they went through a lot of trouble to save themselves from gunfire, including bribing the Sudanese police.
According to the students, they spent more than Ksh40,725 ($300) to bribe their way through the war zones in Sudan.
They further alleged that they starved for two days while focusing on running for their lives.
'I am glad I took the risk to escape the war zone. But I feel sad and let down by the Embassy in Khartoum, for I thought it would have our backs in such a crisis.
“Honestly, it wasn't easy. We didn't eat for two days. The focus was on running for our dear lives,” the student alleged.
Further expressing their disappointment, some students alleged they only received aid after presenting themselves to the Kenyan embassy in Gondar.
Defence Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale announced the arrival of 39 students from the International University of Africa in Khartoum, lauding the Kenya Air Force for its swift response.
“The 39, all students at the International University of Africa, Khartoum, were rescued at the Paloich Airport, South Sudan, by the Kenya Air Force after a long and tiresome trek, amidst the deafening sounds of guns and bazookas,” Duale stated.
He also praised the students' resilience and encouraged other Kenyans stranded in Sudan to continue registering with the State Department for Diaspora Affairs for logistics purposes.
Additionally, Principal Secretary at the State Department of Diaspora Affairs Roseline Njogu noted that the evacuation process would continue over the following days.
“We are evacuating those still in Sudan as well as those who boldly made it to border towns in South Sudan and Ethiopia,” the statement read in part.
Kenya is at the forefront of advocating for peaceful resolutions in Sudan, with President William Ruto among three Heads of State tasked by IGAD to mediate the conflict.
