A Kenyan engineer abducted last month by an armed group in South Sudan’s Morobo County has been freed, local officials and church leaders said on Wednesday.
Richard Matiangi was kidnapped on July 30 after assailants ambushed a vehicle near Bazi, about three miles from Morobo town. The attackers killed his colleague, engineer James Kariuki, before setting the car on fire.
The two were traveling to Uganda to buy construction materials for Holy Trinity Church’s primary school and parish renovations when the attack occurred.
Matiangi was released last week alongside four South Sudanese civilians who were also abducted, according to Isaac Batali, chairperson of Holy Trinity Parish in Morobo.
“They were taken deep into the bush—walking for more than seven hours before reaching their destination,” Batali told Radio Tamazuj. “On 3 August, one of the captors, reportedly a rebel fighter, advised them to escape. They managed to reach Morobo, where they were spotted near the church during prayers.”
Matiangi has since accompanied Kariuki’s body back to Kenya for burial. Local authorities provided him with travel documents after his were destroyed in the attack.
Batali did not identify the rebel group that abducted the Kenyan and the four South Sudanese youths. However, several armed groups operate in the area, including the opposition SPLA-IO and the National Salvation Front.
No group has claimed responsibility for the incident.
Morobo County Commissioner Charles Data confirmed to Radio Tamazuj that the Kenyan engineer had been freed and said security along the road had improved, with movement returning to normal.
“The Kenyan national was released with four South Sudanese youths after three days,” Data said. “The government is working to stabilize the area.”
Following the incident, local interfaith leaders called for civil-military dialogue to improve security.
“We need stronger relationships between civilians and security forces,” Batali said. “Dialogue is the best way to end these conflicts.”
Road ambushes remain a major challenge in South Sudan, threatening the fragile 2018 peace agreement that guarantees free movement. The attacks have raised concerns over persistent insecurity in parts of Central Equatoria State.