Kenyan Engineer Freed After Weeks of Abduction in South Sudan

(JUBA) – A Kenyan engineer has been freed following an abduction in South Sudan’s Morobo County, officials and local church leaders confirmed.

Richard Matiangi was kidnapped on Wednesday, July 30, after armed assailants ambushed a vehicle near Bazi, around three miles from Morobo town, close to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The attackers killed his colleague, engineer James Kariuki, before setting the car on fire.

Matiangi and Kariuki were travelling to Uganda to purchase construction materials for the Holy Trinity Church’s primary school and parish renovations when the attack occurred. Four South Sudanese youths accompanying them were also abducted.

The victims were forced to walk for over seven hours through dense bush before being taken to a temporary camp. Government authorities in the region confirmed the abduction.

After four days in captivity, Matiangi and the South Sudanese abductees were advised by one of the captors to escape. They walked several miles to Morobo town, where they were seen near the church during prayers, according to Isaac Batali, chairperson of Holy Trinity Parish.

“They were taken deep into the bush and walked for more than seven hours,” Batali told local media. “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.”

Following the ambush, South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) pursued the attackers, reportedly killing at least one of them. However, the armed group responsible for the incident remains unidentified. Observers noted that several armed factions, including SPLA–IO and the National Salvation Front, operate in the area.

Matiangi has since accompanied Kariuki’s body back to Kenya for burial. Local authorities assisted Matiangi in obtaining new travel documents after his were destroyed during the attack.

Road ambushes remain a serious security concern in South Sudan, threatening the fragile 2018 peace agreement which guarantees free movement. Similar incidents have affected Kenyan nationals previously, including the 2021 killings of two truck drivers along the Juba–Nimule highway.

South Sudan continues to attract Kenyan workers seeking employment, with an estimated 50,000 Kenyans migrating to the country between January and June 2024. The incident in Morobo County has renewed calls from local church and interfaith leaders for stronger civilian-security engagement and dialogue to improve safety along major transport routes.

Morobo County Commissioner Charles Data confirmed Matiangi’s release, noting that security along the road has improved and movement is returning to normal.

“The Kenyan national was released with four South Sudanese youths after three days,” Data said. “The government is working to stabilise the area.”

Abduction Timeline