120 Kenyan Teachers Stranded in Somalia Evacuated

The government has facilitated the evacuation of 120 Kenyan teachers who were stranded in Somalia amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The teachers landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) aboard a Daallo Airlines flight on Thursday evening from Garowe area in Somalia.

Most of the evacuated teachers worked in Yamays, Dawaad, and Rasasyr international schools in Galkayo, Garowe, and Bosaso.

The 120 returnees include 53 teachers who were stuck in Garowe after their employer confiscated their passports.

Last week, a Kenyan teacher in Garowe narrated how he and his compatriots were suffering after their employer Ahmed Ali, who owns several private schools in Garowe and other places in Somalia, withheld their salary and confiscated their passports.

“I am a teacher working under a private school owned by Dr. Ahmed Ali. I am in Garowe town in Somalia among other over 40 teachers, our contract ended though we were never paid one month's salary despite having worked for it,” he said.

It took the intervention of Kenyan Ambassador to Somalia Lucas Tumbo for Ali to return the passports to the Kenyan teachers.

The teachers have been quarantined at the Kenya Medical Training (KMTC) College in Nairobi.

“We are in the government quarantine facility at KMTC in Nairobi. At least now we are in our mother country. We can enjoy despite being cashless, we are safe,” an evacuee told the Star on Friday.