Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on Monday began his six-day tour of the Coastal region amid rising cases of insecurity.

Just hours into his visit, news broke of the release of five chiefs who had been kidnapped two months ago by suspected Al-Shabaab militants in Elwak, Mandera County.

Murkomen, speaking from Mombasa, confirmed the development, adding that the administrators are now in the hands of Kenyan officials and will soon be reunited with their families.

“This is the fruit of close cooperation between the national government, the county government of Mandera, and the local community.”

Their abduction in February, on the eve of President William Ruto’s scheduled visit to the region, had sparked fears of renewed terrorist infiltration.