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{
    "id": 61686,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/61686/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 269,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Onyonka",
    "speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 128,
        "legal_name": "Richard Momoima Onyonka",
        "slug": "richard-onyonka"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, a Ministerial Statement was sought on the safety of the staff of the Kenyan Mission in Libya and whether they would be returned home with other Kenyans as soon as possible. The second issue was with regard to Kenyans who had gone to Libya for religious training, but who found themselves being trained as soldiers. It was asked whether Kenya had sent these individuals to Libya to be mercenaries. Mr. Speaker, Sir, in response, the situation in Libya has started to deteriorate. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is constantly in touch with the Kenyan Mission in Tripoli on a daily basis. The situation in Libya has become very tense as of this morning. However, Tripoli and its suburbs look quite calm at night and during the day. We have been advised that all the staff members and their families are actually safe. There are four home-based staff, including the Ambassador, who was accompanied by four family members. The Embassy staff who work in Tripoli have continued to go to their office in case of any emergency. We have further established that there are approximately 95 Kenyan citizens in Libya, and they are in the city of Tripoli. Some of them are scattered in Libyan in cities like Misra, Tajura, Seba, Gut and in an area in the eastern region known as Benghazi. Most of these Kenyans have been working in this region. Finally, 43 Kenyans are working for a company that has been established here in Kenya known as Strabag. They are doing some work in Libya. There are nine students at an Islamic college in Tripoli. There are 16 skilled and semi-skilled workers employed in different organizations in Tripoli. There are 11 teachers working in the south of Libya in the towns of Saba, Gut and Ubari. There are nine Kenyans working in Benghazi. Mr. Speaker, Sir, on Tuesday February 20th the Tripoli International Airport was been closed. There are no flights in and out of Libya right now. Consequently, airlines such as the Emirates and British Airways have cancelled all their flights out of Tripoli until further notice. The host Government, that is the Government of Libya, has not provided security for our embassy staff. So we have looked for alternative ways to protect our personnel. Some of the missions such those of Great Britain, the United States of America (USA) and oil companies have already started evacuating non-essential staff. They are also providing some support in terms of security management. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Libya did call all the African ambassadors yesterday to brief them on what is happening in their country. The Libyan Government promised to facilitate the resumption of what is known as the “Africa Airways flight” to major African cities to facilitate the evacuation of Africans. We are waiting for authority to be provided However, regardless of this situation, the Kenyan Government and my Ministry have linked up. We have negotiated an agreement with Kenya Airways. The Kenya Airways has agreed to give us a chartered flight that is supposed to be in Libya as I am talking to you. We have decided to bring in any Kenyans who may feel that they need to leave Libya or Tripoli and the other cities where they are. The last question is whether Kenya has provided any mercenaries who are providing military service to the Libyan Government. The answer is no. The only individuals who are in Libya are mission staff, students and Kenyans who have been working and are not militarily engaged."
}