Sleepy village jolted by Mandera killings

Nyeri, Kenya: Two sisters from Kieni East, Nyeri County were among the 28 people killed on Saturday during the Mandera massacre.

Winfred Karimi, 28, and Fridah Kathambi, 31, were among other travellers who were shot dead by Al-Shabaab terrorists who commandeered the bus they were travelling in.

The two were teachers in Mandera. Their 55-year-old mother, Nancy Makena, learnt of the deaths after a friend who lives in Mandera called her on Saturday at 9am to enquire about their whereabouts. The distraught mother of six prodded why he was asking about the women, to which he explained that some killings were reported near Arabia town and they feared for the worse.

"I requested the friend to go and confirm at the mortuary, and at around 12pm the call confirming my worst fears came. He told me the bodies were flown to Nairobi," she said.

Fridah went to Mandera upon invitation by her younger sister, Winfred, at the beginning of third term in search of greener pastures. The two were travelling back to their rural home in Njogu-ini village to join their families for the upcoming December holidays.

Winfred, a secondary school teacher, had taught a private school in Mandera for the past three years, and she was employed by the county government of Mandera.

Marshal House

She had asked her elder sister to join her since there were employment opportunities in the county. Fridah, after consulting her husband, Geoffrey Matu, 31, took up the offer and travelled to Mandera to join her younger sister.

She has a Diploma in Education from Mount Kenya University and was scheduled to graduate this week.

Kieni MP Kanini Kega, who visited the family said: "It is very unfortunate that insecurity in a place as far as Mandera can disrupt the quietness of a sleepy village in Kieni."

"Those bestowed with the onus to oversee the security of its citizenry cannot assure them of the same. I call upon the Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo and his two deputies to resign, failure to which I will marshal the House to force them," he added. Mr Kega will help cater for funeral expenses.