15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1998 BOMBLAST COMMEMORATED AT THE PARK.

By Samson Babu

The US Embassy led by Amb. Robert Godec joined Kenyans in commemorating the 15^th Anniversary of the 1998 Bomb blast that saw more than 200 people loose their lives through the hands of a terrorism group known as al-Qaida, led by Osama Bin Laden.

Amb. Godec paid a courtesy call to the Park in the wee hours of the Morning and placed a wreath by the Memorial Wall, which contains name inscriptions of all the 218 victims who perished in the ordeal

He reiterated his governments’ relentless role in bringing terrorism to an absolute end,

The Kenyan and the US government have both resolved; to joint efforts in fighting terrorism, which over time has rendered most parts of the world unsecure due to terrorism activities. This is manifested in the case of al-shabaab in Somali which has managed to destabilize the region. Personally I am very pleased at the great work that has been done to this place, it is really unbelievable. Said Godec

The Park was a Bee-hive of activities, with guests streaming into the Park in their numbers; many of whom are survivors of the 1998 terror attacks together with families of the victims who succumbed in the blast.

The program of the day was properly stitched into place by the August 7TH Victims Association, which commenced with the singing of the Kenyan National Anthem which immediately after was replaced with a moment of silence in memory and honor of the 218 victims of the ghastly incident.

Rev. Cannon David Sawe of the All Saints Cathedral led a brief prayer session after which his counterpart of the Muslim faith Maalim Hassan Athumani of the Pumwani Mosque made the final prayers.

Speeches from the Chairman of the Victims Association George Ngige, Jane Thama a survivor, Javan Rajab victims family, Pamela Olum a widow and Hon Mike Mbuvi Alias “Sonko” who is the current Nairobi Senator.

All the speeches resonated around calls of compensation to the Survivors and also to those victims who lost their loved ones at the Blast. Mr Ngige lamented that most of the survivors have resent been rendered poor due to spending huge sums of their savings on treatment from the injuries they sustained from the bomb blast.

The calls for compensation were also lauded by Hon. Mbuvi who pledged ksh300, 000 from his July salary which is equivalent to 3755$ to cater for the school fees to the victims children’s Education.

Sonko promised to inform the president on the same in great depths and also get them an invitation to the State House to meet the President.

I have arranged for a group of lawyers led by Hon Paul Muite to present your case before the Courts and also I have faith that the new administration will solve this issue once and for all, said Sonko.

Also present was the County Assembly Speaker Hon. Alex Ole Magelo, who accused former administrations of neglecting the plights of the victims by focusing on restructuring the Buildings instead of the victims’ appeals.