The Immigration officers at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport have honoured court orders compelling them to restore passports of NASA leaders who had been denied a chance to fly out of the country.
Siaya Senator James Orengo and businessman Jimi Wanjigi had booked tickets to fly to Harare, Zimbabwe to attend the funeral service of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai when they were barred from leaving through airport on Monday night.
In a statement by ODM spokesman Dennis Onyango, the duo was able to secure a flight that was scheduled to leave for Zimbabwe at 1PM on February 20, 2018.
“At this point however, are not able to tell whether the passports have been removed from the banned list and can actually be used for travel out of the country,” said Onyango.
Speaking to KTN News, Wanjigi said the immigration officer grabbed his passport and informed him it was suspended upon his arrival.
Both Orengo and Wanjigi tried to plead with the immigration officer who declined to identify himself to have their passports back but he refused.
The NASA leaders said they called immigration boss Maj-Gen (Rtd) Gordon Kihalangwa seeking for clarification over the 9PM drama.
But in his defence, Kihalangwa said they had not been served with court orders reversing the revocation of their passports by the time the duo reported to the airport.
The duo will join NASA leader Raila Odinga, Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang’ Nyongo and other Kenyans for the funeral in Harare today (Tuesday).
-standardmedia.co.ke
