Florence Wanza Munyao, a Kenya long-distance truck driver who was kidnapped in the Democratic Republic of Congo, (DRC) has narrated her distressing ordeal at the hands of the Congolese militia.
Munyao, 45, who hails from Machakos county was abducted on August 27 at noon in DRC’s Kiseguro area.
Wanza narrated that she was captured by the militia after their truck got stuck in a notorious spot. She said their attempts to pull the truck from the mud were unsuccessful.
“We left at around ten o’clock and began our journey. Along the way, we encountered soldiers on the road who stopped us. The owner spoke to them and gave them something small. The same happened with the second and third groups,” she said.
“At one point, we reached a place where the vehicle got stuck. We tried hard to get it moving, but the owner decided to go and fetch a shovel.”
She added, “I tried using a jack to lift the trailer, but then I heard the young men saying that the soldiers wanted to inspect the trailer.”
Truck Driver Florence Wanza Recounts Five-Month Ordeal
Florence Wanza went on to mention that she was assaulted physically by the soldiers accusing her of instigating conflict in Congo.
“I decided to face them, but before I could approach them, one of the soldiers started punching and kicking me and hit me with the back of his rifle,” she added.
“As he beat me, he accused me of being the one sending people to fight them in Congo. I told him that I was just a driver. The other soldiers took everything that was on the truck”
The driver stated that she was taken through barren lands, walking for at least six hours. By the time she reached her destination, it was nighttime.
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Blouse Similar to Military Uniform
She added that after they reached the destination, her belongings were inspected. A blouse similar to a military uniform was found, and the soldiers questioned her about how she had obtained it.
“They began searching through my belongings and found a military-style blouse. They asked me where I had gotten it from. I told them that I had just bought it at the market and that it was not an actual military uniform,” she said.
She revealed that the soldiers were later called to take her to their boss. On the way, when she met their leader, she pleaded with him not to kill her.
“I pleaded with their leader not to kill me because I have children. He assured me that they were the Congolese army and that they do not kill people,” Wanza stated.
Ksh 1.3 Million Demand
Wanza said the following day they asked me to call her boss back in Kenya for them to send money.
“They wanted $10,000(which is approximately 1.3 million), I called my boss informing him of their demands or rather they would kill me, the boss agreed and set a deal with them, but the soldiers never called him,” Wanza claimed.
The truck driver recounted the harsh conditions she endured during her captivity including sleeping on the ground, surrounded by many mosquitoes.
“Animals were in the bush, and I could hear lions roaring nearby. I couldn’t eat. I was stressed out. Another thing, bathing was only twice a week, or sometimes just once,” she added.
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Hope of Coming Back Home
After two months, Wanza said the soldiers called her and told her that they had forgiven her, as they had realized she was just a driver.
She mentioned that they had informed the government that they would take her to Goma to board a plane and then send her back home as they looked for a way out.
The driver spent an additional four months in captivity before, in the fifth month, they informed her to prepare to leave.
“We walked for ten days from morning until evening and slept on the roadside. There were no houses or shelters anywhere,” she said.
“On January 19, the colonel told me that the governor had gone to war, but the following day, he informed me that the governor was dead but said he would speak to his superiors in Kinshasa to see how they could assist me.”
How Florence Wanza was Released
Her release came with the support of unexpected allies, including the Colonel’s wife, who helped her with transport, and his brother, who took her to safety.
By January 30, the driver managed to cross into Congo and was given a passport.
“I entered Kisenyi, then boarded a Nissan to Kampala. From there, I took another truck to Busia. Once in Busia, a friend who had a lorry picked me up and took me to Kisumu, where I connected to another lorry that brought me to Nairobi.”
Wanza expressed relief for being able to return to the country safely but also a sense of caution.
“I thank everyone for their efforts to call for my release— the government, my fellow drivers, and all Kenyans. I will continue with my work as a driver, but I will not be crossing those borders again—they’re closed for me,” she said firmly.
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