Nairobi,
TwoKenyaAirwaysstaffmembers who were detained in the Democratic Republic of Congo in late April have been released, a seniorKenyan foreign ministry official andthe airline's chief executivesaid on Monday.
The airline's flights to Congo, which had been suspended in late April, would now resume, Chief Executive Officer Allan Kilavuka, said in a statement.
KQ suspends flights to Kinshasa in protest over detention of crew KQ accuses DRC of harassment over detained staffCongo's military intelligence detained two of the airline'sstaffon April 19, allegedly because of missing customs documentation on some valuable cargo. The company said it had not taken possession of the cargo because the shipper's paperwork was incomplete.
The two were detained despite a court order asking for their release,which promptedthe airline tosuspend its flights, saying the detention of the employees had made it difficult for the airline to support theflights.
One of thestaffmembers wasKenyan, and the other Congolese.
'Deeply grateful to inform that Lydia Mbotela, KQ Manager in DRC, has just been released by the authorities in Kinshasa,' Korir Sing'oei,Kenya's foreign affairs ministry principal secretary, said on social media platform X.
Deeply grateful 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 Attach, the FRO and the Charge daffaires, for this incredible work of negotiating our compatriots release. pic.twitter.com/9uXd3YBwQW Korir SingOei (@SingoeiAKorir) May 6, 2024KenyaAirwayssaid Mbotela's Congolese colleague had also been released.
'KenyaAirwaysconfirms that military authorities in Kinshasa have unconditionally released our two employees...' Kilavuka said.
Congo's communication minister, the government spokesperson and military intelligence did not immediately respond torequests from Reutersfor comment.
KenyaAirwayshad saidlast week that it was cooperating with investigating agencies and government entities in Congo andKenyato ensure the matter was resolved.
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