RIP Garissa Comrades; We Shall Never Forget You as Kenya Is Unbowed

RIP Garissa Comrades; We Shall Never Forget You as Kenya Is Unbowed

THE NUMBERS

148: The estimated death toll in Garissa Massacre

4: The number of Al-Shabaab militia that raided Garissa University College

1998: The year Al-Qaeda linked bombers killed over 200 people in Nairobi

T

he grisly massacre 148 of Garissa University College students has hit the Kenyan society hard yet Kenya remains resilient and determined to foster unity among religious and ethnic divides. The wanton shooting of innocent students by four Al Shabaab militants who were reportedly killed is the highest number of death toll by way of terror since the 1998 US Embassy bombing in Nairobi which left over 200 civilians and foreigners dead in its wake.

I condole with the victims of the untold suffering that I do not want to say I understand because I never will. I cannot be in their shoes. They are the best suited to explain the extent and intense of the suffering they went through.

Yet Kenyans remained steadfast in praying for and supporting the victims of the disaster in their small ways. Our US friends also came in handy to help out. US President Barrack Obama assured Uhuru Kenyatta that his visit to Kenya will not be cancelled due to the terrorist attacks. The Pope telegrammed Kenyan Catholic Archbishop His Eminence Cardinal John Njue to express his sympathies with Kenyans in this time of grief.

President Kenyatta declared three days of mourning in which our national flag will flay half-mast in remembrance and honour of the 148 students massacred in Garissa.

But it is a most sad tale that people would rather forget. Some students vowed never to return to North Eastern again. Garissa Governor Nathif Jama termed the exodus as an unfortunate move.  The university that is a constituent college of Moi University was set to earn a charter this year so that it can effectively become the first fully chartered public university in the Northern Corridor. I don’t want to believe that the dreams of the university and the people of North are dashed. They will rise again. The nightmare will ease and the institution will bounce back.

The education unions are proposing the college to be converted to a military base, I hear. I don’t think it is the right thing. There is already a separate KDF camp in Garissa. Let the university be. The Opposition ought to back off on their incessant pressure to have Kenya withdraw its troops from Somalia.  Our forces are doing great in stabilizing Somalia and a peaceful Somalia is a major economic boost for Kenya and its neighbours.

As for al Shabaab militants and their sympathisers, you will never succeed in driving a wedge between and among Kenyans. We are more united that ever.

I urge the security agents to take preventive measures against the Al-Shabaab rather than waiting for the attacks to happen in order to prevent human cost of war and loss of property. Rest In Peace Garissa Comrades; We Shall Never Forget You as Kenya Is Unbowed.

Special Mention to my cousin Mami aka Kasyoo Peter Isombo. May your soul rest in eternal peace!