Never again, Raila assures Kenyans on anniversary of embassy bombing

• PM said the government is pursuing vital leads to ensure terrorists are apprehended.
• Kenyan security forces on the spot over failure to arrest the architect of the bombing, Fazul Abdallah
• Mr Odinga said that there would be no arbitrary persecution of Muslims
• Government had not taken the compensation of the survivors seriously due to “the short-lived unity of politicians."

The government has assured Kenyans of increased surveillance and vigilance in the country to combat terrorism.

Speaking on Thursday at the memorial of the 1998 bomb explosion, Prime Minister Raila Odinga said the government is pursuing vital leads to ensure terrorists are apprehended.

“Let me assure Kenyans that this government will do everything possible to prevent us from ever again being attacked,” the PM said.

The remarks come at a time when the Kenyan security forces are on the spot over failure to arrest the architect of the bombing, Fazul Abdallah, earlier this week in Mombasa.

At Thursday’s event, Internal Security minister George Saitoti said stringent measures had been put in place measures to pre-empt future attacks.

“We have a 24-hour surveillance on our borders to ensure that similar strategies do not occur,” Prof Saitoti said.

The 10th anniversary of the August 7, 1998 bomb blast was marked at the Memorial Park in Nairobi.

A sombre mood prevailed as family and friends of those who perished braved the hot sun to mark the day.

However, unlike previous anniversaries, the minute-long silence at 10.15am - the approximate time when the blast occurred - was not observed this time round.

Some of the survivors blamed it on the late arrival of the dignitaries. Prof Saitoti was the first to arrive at 10.25am, followed by the PM fifteen minutes later.

Mr Odinga said that there would be no arbitrary persecution of Muslims since doing so “would generate the very disaffection and extremism on which terror thrives.”

“It would be sheer madness to target it (Islam), or its followers. Our sole target is terrorists,” he said.

Ms Naomi Kerongo, who is leading some survivors to claim compensation, put the agenda on the table.

She said that despite President Kibaki having met with President George Bush, nothing tangible had come on the victims of the tragedy.

But Mr Odinga said that the matter was beyond President Kibaki’s grasp, since the motion had been shot down twice by the US Congress.

The PM said that the Kenyan Government had not taken the compensation of the survivors seriously due to “the short-lived unity among political leaders following the incident, and other political crises and concerns” that led to a shift in focus.

Express solidarity

“But from the intense interest that this 10th anniversary has kindled, you will see a more organised national philanthropic spirit tackling the issues that bedevil survivors,” Mr Odinga said.

He added: “Even as we express solidarity with the suffering, we must pay tribute to the heroic way so many have coped.”

But even as some survivors were keen on getting some compensation, others have decided to move on.

Ms Julie Ogoye, a survivor, said she was happy to be alive, “but if whoever responsible decides to compensate the victims, then she won’t mind.”

Ms Kerongo on the other hand said that her group would now go to the International Criminal Court to seek justice.

Meanwhile, the PM feted Mr Joash Okindo, the Kenyan guard who at the time of the blast worked at the US embassy.

The PM said the tragedy would have been worse had it not been for Mr Okindo’s bravery. Mr Okindo is now a senior guard at the US embassy.

Others honoured were Mr Douglas Sidialo, who lost both eyes due to the explosion, and 10-year-old Prudence Lusinde (named after the then US ambassador, Prudence Bushnell). Prudence was born prematurely that fateful day.

According to the Government, over 300 survivors from the original bomb blast have succumbed to their injuries. Some died from serious wounds, others committed suicide from the emotional traumas they suffered, while a few also lost their lives because they could not continue obtaining the needed medications.