The nation continued to bury Garissa University College students murdered by Al-Shabaab terrorists two weeks ago.
In Makueni, tears flowed freely as Cyrus Sila Mutuku was buried at Malivani Village.
Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana warned that religious radicalisation is quickly getting out of hand.
Kenya
National Union of Teachers (Knut) secretary-general Wilson Sossion, who
attended the burial, mourned the 148 victims and criticised the
government for failing to learn from previous terrorist attacks.
Several survivors present narrated horrifying moments of watching their colleagues felled by bullets.
“I
was hiding together with my friend Cyrus as the terrorists shot at us
indiscriminately. I have, up to date, never accepted that he is gone. I
have always wanted to believe that I am dreaming. Today it pains me to
say goodbye to my friend,” Charles Mulinge, a survivor of the attack,
said.
A lecturer at the university, Ms Judy Gitau, narrated how the institution was thrown into confusion.
“Cyrus’
father called me continuously to enquire about the whereabouts of his
son. It took me three days to locate him at Chiromo mortuary. It is
unfortunate that such a bright mind and life was cut short before fully
bearing fruits,” Ms Gitau said.
Cyrus’ father, Mr
Benson Ndambuki, said he experienced the pain his son went through as
they were speaking on the phone when he was shot dead.
“My
son first send me a text message on the day of attack at 4:24am saying
we are under attack by Al-Shabaab and we are being killed.
“He
said please pray for me. Later on, he called me and all I could hear
were gunshots. I then heard a loud bang and the conversation ended,”
said the Makueni Knut secretary.
Mr Ndambuki said he
faced humiliation at Chiromo mortuary where his son’s body was claimed
by five other families even after his wife had identified him through
his toes. The body was only released to them after a DNA test was done.
In
Meru, the body of Mark Mutuma, who had been missing, was identified by
the family at Chiromo on Saturday. The Second Year Information
Technology student will be buried at home in Kigane Village, Imenti
South Sub-County.
FRANTIC SEARCH
In Machakos, a family was preparing to bury their son who was killed by terrorists at the college.
Dennis
Munuve Mwatu, 21, who was a Second Year Bachelor of Education student
will be buried on Wednesday at Katine Village in Matungulu Sub-County.
His Mother Agnes Mwatu said: “I was in shock and disbelief when I received the news of the murder of my son.”
She described him as obedient, responsible and very aggressive in educational matters.
Before the family received the sad news death, relatives had made a frantic search for him.
Dennis’
last message to his mother was on April 1. He called her and said: “Hi
mum, I just wanted to tell you that I am okay and I am doing well in my
studies.’’
Kinangop Member of Parliament Stephen Mburu
Kinyanjui promised to table a Motion in the House making it mandatory
for all Form Four leavers to undergo paramilitary training.
He
was speaking during the burial of the Garissa University attack victim
Samuel Gakuru at Kwa Haraka in Nyandarua County on Monday.
By Veronica Nthakyo, Darlington Manyara, Gastone Valusi, Macharia Mwangi
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