Families in race to rebuild ruined lives

Mothers at Mpeketoni Sub-district hospital maternity in this photo taken on 6th June 2015. KEVIN ODIT |

What you need to know:

  • “In the last season, I took care of ploughing, inputs and weeding of her two-acre piece. I and my wife have also taken charge of the children’s education,” he said.
  • Mr Samuel Mwaura, 25, abandoned a bank job in Mombasa to run his father’s Farmers Guest House Restaurant. Their father was killed on that fateful night.
  • Mr Kiiru was a driver in Naivasha. He had been involved in an accident, sustaining a spinal injury, which confined him at home.

Mpeketoni Town is slowly recovering from last year’s attack which claimed the lives of more than 60 people.

Families of the dead are saddled with more responsibilities as they demand to know who carried out the killings.

The attack robbed the community of breadwinners, pushing widows, children and the extended families into financial quagmire.

Mr Julius Kimotho, assumed the role of father to his three grandchildren whose father was shot near Casablanca Video Shop club.

Mr David Kiiru, 32, was among the first six people shot dead at this spot where football fans were watching a match.

“My daughter has taken responsibility of the children who are four, 11 and 15. I help her,” he said.

The 27-year-old widow becomes depressed, especially when she cannot meet her children’s needs. He hopes she will be self-reliant.

SPINAL INJURY

“In the last season, I took care of ploughing, inputs and weeding of her two-acre piece. I and my wife have also taken charge of the children’s education,” he said.

It has not been an easy journey for Mr Kimotho, whose two other children are at local universities.

Mr Kiiru was a driver in Naivasha. He had been involved in an accident, sustaining a spinal injury, which confined him at home.

The Devolution and Planning Ministry promised to help residents reconstruct their lives.

More than 100 National Youth Service officers were deployed to the area to help in reconstruction but they left later.

Mr Samuel Mwaura, 25, abandoned a bank job in Mombasa to run his father’s Farmers Guest House Restaurant. Their father was killed on that fateful night.

“If the business was to go down, it could sink with my mother who was still in shock. That is why I resigned from the bank,” Mr Mwaura said.
He said the restaurant, which was started in 2002, complemented farming. “People keep away from streets.  We close four or five hours earlier than before,” he said.

About 50 heavily armed men descended on the town at around 8.45pm on June 15 and began the killing spree.
They attacked Mpeketoni Police Station, burning about 20 vehicles, buildings and petrol stations.