A Kenyan, who was held in captivity by Somali pirates for 15 months has finally been released.
James Gachamba Kuria, who worked as a support staff at a Kenyan owned medical facility in Dhadho area Central Somalia, was rescued during an operation by the Somalia national intelligence security agency at the hide out where he was being held.
His colleague and fellow captive Loise Njoki Weru was however not lucky as the pirates used her as a human shield and managed to disappear with her.
Gashamba was kidnapped alongside fellow businesswoman Loice Njoki Weru in Adado Town in Centarl Somalia before being taken to Jilib, 160 kilometers from Adado.
“We were conducting our business at about 7pm before they attacked. They tied us with ropes, put us in a car and drove us for a whole day to a house,” he said.
Gashamba was a businessman in Somalia selling herbal medicine alongside Loice Njoki before the kidnapping on the 24th of November 2014.
Having spent 15 months with the kidnappers believed to have strong links with al Shabaab, he recalls how everyday was a struggle.
“We were not allowed to see the sun. We lived in caves and in forests the whole time. They would feed us twice a day,” narrated Gashamba.