Kenyans in Burundi safe, government says ~ luo.Com

The Kenyan government on Thursday assured Senators that Kenyans living in Burundi were safe a day after an attempt to overthrow the country’s President Pierre Nkurunziza.

The senators wanted to know what the government was doing to ensure the safety of Kenyans in Burundi following a reported military coup in the east-African country.

“The government has been receiving constant briefing from the Mission in Burundi and we can assure the public that all Kenyans are safe.

We have urged our people to remain in their residents until the situation is stabilised,” said a statement read by Senate Committee on Foreign Relations chairman Yusuf Haji

The statement was from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Senate Sepaker Ekwee Ethuro had tasked the Committee to find out what the government was doing about the situation and report to the House on Friday.

Minority Leader Moses Wetang’ula (Bungoma, Ford-Kenya) said the House should be informed of what was being done to ensure that no Kenyan loses life in the ensuing situation.

“I want this House and the country to know the status of the safety of our nationals in Burundi. We have an embassy in Bujumbura and we have many Kenyans who are doing business or working through bilateral engagements in schools, universities or other tertiary colleges,” said Mr Wetang’ula.

The Senator said there were several Kenyans who lived in Burundi and who may want to be evacuated soon.

Siaya Senator James Orengo (ODM) said the government dragged its feet in declaring its position about the situation in Burundi despite its status in the East Africa Community.

“We should be told why Kenya failed to demonstrate leadership by saying what it should have been said at the right time,” said Mr Orengo.

The reported coup in Burundi happened a week after Speaker Ethuro asked the country leadership to respect its Constitution and the past Peace Accords to avert violence ahead of the country’s elections.

Speaking as the President of the Forum of Parliaments of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (FP/ICGLR), Mr Ethuro said peace in the east-African country was paramount after years of civil war.

Police march past burning barricades down the main road in the Cibitoke neighbourhood of Bujumbura, on May 7, 2015. The Kenyan government on Thursday assured Senators that Kenyans living in Burundi were safe a day after an attempt to overthrow the country’s President Pierre Nkurunziza.