Attack Aftermath: Who Stole Jewellery From Westgate Mall?

Sincerely speaking, I do not understand why we are humiliating our brothers. You know them well: when we are running away from fire, they are running towards the same fire to save glowing in in flames. They have mortal skin like us, can burn like us, smile like us and shade tears in the same smoke as we do. They are our brothers, sisters, cousins, parents, former schoolmates….Am not talking about people from the mysterious world, am just referring to our KDF officers.

If you are lucky to own a TV (I usually watch it from my neighbor’s), you must have witnessed this on 21^st September 2013. We ran from the Westgate Mall at around a quarter past twelve noon. People were wailing in pain and strain. Parents had watched their children cut into pieces. Children had watched their fathers and mothers succumb into painful gunshots. No one was ready to look back to the scene if he or she was lucky to be out of the place. But you know what? The police officers and KDF willfully ran into the mall to save lives.

They stayed there for four days. Eight of them lost their lives in such a fierce attack. It was an assignment of greatest tolerance; the trauma of being sent to fight against people you cannot locate their hideouts within the building. The traumatizing events continued for many days, until one day when this woman who sells jewellery was allowed to access the building. Her business room, she said, was swept clean. I heard the Sony and electronic shops were also swept almost clean. Do you know who were the first suspects? Of course, you know: Kenya Defense Forces (abbreviated as KDF).

I took a few hours to evaluate the arguments of the owner of the jewellery shop. “The terrorists cannot steal the jewellery.” She explained. I am not here to defend KDF, but surely, who told you that they would not have stolen? Aren’t they human beings like anyone else looking for money? Do you think that they are too satisfied with they have? How sure are you that they did not steal anything from the mall? After all, who knows their whereabouts, and what they carried with them after the massacre? Why do we belief in suspicions and just talk things, which we are not sure of? Do you know how much they sacrifice their lives for our sake? Indeed, this was wrong to say.

I have never been frustrated just as I am now. I saw a lady with her two kids playing dead somewhere in one corner. You saw how a police officer who decided to sacrifice his life, crawled flat like a lizard, just to save them. And many other victims who received a helping hand from the officers. I hate these allegations against our defense forces. I cannot imagine how they could be feeling after being labeled thieves. Remember we never define tomorrow; we shall need them day by day. Defense forces undergo perilous strains during assignments for our sake. Let’s give them a humble time filled with peace to protect us. Leave alone the stolen things; they will take care of themselves. Stop the belief that terrorists do not need money; in fact they do not have all they need as they are human beings too defining human wants as we do. Once again, as we recover from the tragic incidence (RIP those who died and quick recovery for the survivors), let us respect our defense forces.

Sincerely speaking, I do not understand why we are humiliating our brothers. You know them well: when we are running away from fire, they are running towards the same fire to save glowing in in flames. They have mortal skin like us, can burn like us, smile like us and shade tears in the same smoke as we do. They are our brothers, sisters, cousins, parents, former schoolmates….Am not talking about people from the mysterious world, am just referring to our KDF officers.

If you are lucky to own a TV (I usually watch it from my neighbor’s), you must have witnessed this on 21^st September 2013. We ran from the Westgate Mall at around a quarter past twelve noon. People were wailing in pain and strain. Parents had watched their children cut into pieces. Children had watched their fathers and mothers succumb into painful gunshots. No one was ready to look back to the scene if he or she was lucky to be out of the place. But you know what? The police officers and KDF willfully ran into the mall to save lives.

They stayed there for four days. Eight of them lost their lives in such a fierce attack. It was an assignment of greatest tolerance; the trauma of being sent to fight against people you cannot locate their hideouts within the building. The traumatizing events continued for many days, until one day when this woman who sells jewellery was allowed to access the building. Her business room, she said, was swept clean. I heard the Sony and electronic shops were also swept almost clean. Do you know who were the first suspects? Of course, you know: Kenya Defense Forces (abbreviated as KDF).

I took a few hours to evaluate the arguments of the owner of the jewellery shop. “The terrorists cannot steal the jewellery.” She explained. I am not here to defend KDF, but surely, who told you that they would not have stolen? Aren’t they human beings like anyone else looking for money? Do you think that they are too satisfied with they have? How sure are you that they did not steal anything from the mall? After all, who knows their whereabouts, and what they carried with them after the massacre? Why do we belief in suspicions and just talk things, which we are not sure of? Do you know how much they sacrifice their lives for our sake? Indeed, this was wrong to say.

I have never been frustrated just as I am now. I saw a lady with her two kids playing dead somewhere in one corner. You saw how a police officer who decided to sacrifice his life, crawled flat like a lizard, just to save them. And many other victims who received a helping hand from the officers. I hate these allegations against our defense forces. I cannot imagine how they could be feeling after being labeled thieves. Remember we never define tomorrow; we shall need them day by day. Defense forces undergo perilous strains during assignments for our sake. Let’s give them a humble time filled with peace to protect us. Leave alone the stolen things; they will take care of themselves. Stop the belief that terrorists do not need money; in fact they do not have all they need as they are human beings too defining human wants as we do. Once again, as we recover from the tragic incidence (RIP those who died and quick recovery for the survivors), let us respect our defense forces.