Westgate attack victims' flame of love still burns brightly

Theirs was a story of love that could not be broken even in the hands of terrorists.

It was one that warmed the hearts of millions of Kenyans and opened the clouds of gloom that had hung over Kenya after the attack at Westgate Shopping Mall that 21st day of September, 2013.

The attack left 67 people dead, 175 injured and millions of others had been glued to their television screens for four days to watch the harrowing events unfold.

But at the end of it all, there was a silver lining, a love story straight from the romantic movies, of 29-year-old Mbugua Mwangi and his fiancée Rosemary Wahito.

The two died in a tight embrace, each taking seven bullets to the chest; some entering through one and exiting through the other.

When the terrorists attacked that fateful Saturday, Mbugua was planning to pay bride price a week later, in line with African traditions, before the big day.

They had made most of the plans for their wedding: their dress code, wedding colours, and the flavour of the cake.

The couple had had breakfast at Mbugua’s home and had talked about their wedding plans before setting off for the mall.

Some minutes to 1pm, four heavily armed men stormed the mall, shooting everyone on sight.

Mbugua and Rosemary were having a drink at a restaurant in the mall when the terrorists struck, and Mbugua died while shielding his girlfriend from the gun-toting al-Shabaab attackers, survivors later recounted.

The two were buried together at Mbugua’s parents’ farm in Gatundu, next to Founding President Jomo Kenyatta’s home. Mbugua was President Uhuru Kenyatta’s nephew.

“Do not mourn but celebrate a society that is able to bring up such loving young people,” President Kenyatta told mourners in the funeral.

And three years on, the spirit of the lovebirds that showed Kenya that love could triumph over terrorism even when the gun is right in front of you still lives on.

LAUNCHED FOUNDATION

In November, 2014, the family launched the Mbugua Rosemary Foundation to honour the couple.

“Even in death, Mbugua never stopped loving Rosemary. The kind of love you shared only comes from God the author of true love,” the family said in a moving tribute in the Nation to mark the couple’s third death anniversary.

Since its start, the foundation has trained 47 young entrepreneurs to nurture their skills and make the best of their businesses.

Every Saturday from 8am to 1pm for 25 weeks, the 47 were trained on better use of technology, marketing and how to improve quality to earn more profits from their business, just like Mbugua and Rosemary had hoped to do.

“All the foundation wants to do is replicate the good works of Mbugua and Rosemary, and to sustain the memory of two young people that had a clear vision,” said the foundation’s board chairman Bill Lay.

The second batch of trainees graduated last Saturday at the Jacaranda Hotel, with the third batch is coming up in January.

“That love continues to grow through babies your dreams and legacy brought forth — 47 dreamers and legacies you have helped build so far. They bear your name — Mbugua Rosemary Foundation-Young Entrepreneurs,” the family said of the couple.

One of those that has gone through the training is 32-year-old Alex Mutitu who has built an app.

Bail Out Buddy, as Mutitu’s app is known, helps users to be aware of traffic rules. It has a list of traffic offences and with an annual registration of a maximum of 100,000, members can get their bail paid, understand traffic offences and get a lawyer in case they are taken to court.

“The training has helped me fine-tune my app and business skills,” Mr Mutitu told the Nation after his graduation.