Kin seek help to bury Dusit attack victim

Mr Zachary Omboga was the first person to be felled by the bullets of the terror merchants during the DusitD2 attack in Nairobi. He was guarding the main gate of the complex when they struck.

An employee of Senaca International Ltd, he had been based at the complex since 2015.

He was shot six times, in the chest and stomach. Now his family is distraught, wondering why the terrorists ended the life of the 36-year-old man.

Mr Omboga’s mother, Ms Monicah Nyakerario, recalls that her son buried his only child in November last year. Her two-week old child died after a short illness.

Mr Omboga's widow, Janet Nyanchama, is just 26.

MEMORY

Burial arrangements are in progress at their Igena-Itambe home in West Mugirango Constituency, Nyamira County.

Mr Omboga’s body, which is at the Chiromo mortuary, will be transported to Nyamira on Sunday and buried on Monday.

He had established a home in Molo, Nakuru County, but they prefer to bury him in his ancestral home.

So, keeping with Kisii traditions, they have built a house for him. A man should have a house where his body will be kept for the vigil.

Ms Nyakerario last saw him on December 13 when he came home for his sister's bride price ceremony.

“He bought us soda. He was very kind and even used to pay school fees for his sibling, now a Form Four candidate at Gesiaga Secondary School. He was here for only a day. I had hoped to see him again,” she says.

AID

She has asked Kenyans to pray for her, saying she needs strength to bear the loss of her third-born child. Her husband died a while ago, leaving her to raise their seven children.

Mr Samule Kiganda, the deceased's cousin, says when they saw news of the terror attack on television, they tried to reach their kin on phone but it went unanswered. It later went dead, and the following morning they learnt that he had died.

“We received the news after the deceased’s brother, John Nyambwanga, told us he had been to the mortuary and confirmed that his elder was no more,” Mr Kiganda said.

The family says it has not received help from the national or county government, and is now appealing to well-wishers to help them pay for burial expenses.

Mr Nyambwanga does not think arming private security guards with guns is a good idea because it will heighten insecurity.