NAIROBI, Kenya, May 7 – The Kenya Airways manager in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), who was detained in Kinshasa over missing customs documentation on “valuable” cargo has been released.
According to the Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei, Lydia Mbotela was released on Monday by authorities in Kinshasa.
Sing’oei attributed the successful release to the joint negotiation effort conducted by the the Military Attache, the FRO and the charge d’ affaires.
“Deeply greatful to inform that Lydia Mbotela, KQ manager in DRC has just been released by the authorities in Kinshasa. I commend the team at our Mission: Our military Attache, the FRO and the charge d’ affaires, for this incredible work of negotiating our compatriot’s release,” he stated on X.
Mbotela was among the two KQ employees who were detained for two weeks by the DRC military Intelligence over the alleged cargo that was to be transported on a KQ flight on April 12.
On April 26, The airline’s Group Managing Director Allan Kilavuka said that the Militaire des Activities Anti Patrie (DEMIAP) confiscated the phones of its staff and denied access to them.
However, Kilavuka explained that the said cargo was not uplifted or accepted by KQ due to incomplete documentation asserting that duo was illegally detained.
To protest the move, Kenya Airways, suspended its flights to Kinshasa pointing out that the detaining of the two employees made it difficult for the airline to supervise its operations in Kinshasa.
“This includes customer service, ground handling, cargo activities and generally ensuring safe, secure and efficient operations,” Kilavuka stated.
