“What will I tell the children? You promised that we would grow old together; how does it turn out this way?” cried Eva Buyu, the widow of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) ICT manager Chris Msando.
“They have finished us!” Mr Msando’s family and friends mourned as they streamed into his home in Nairobi’s Nyayo estate.
According to close family members, Msando left his house last Friday to attend an early morning media session where he was scheduled to talk about the Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS) and the voting process.
Very jovial
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They said he was very jovial that morning and, as usual, he briefed them about how his day would go.
“He was a very honest and straightforward person. He always told us what his day would be like and later narrate how it went. He was very social and friendly and always told the stories humorously,” said one of his brothers.
On the last day with his family, the brother said, Msando woke up at 5am and prepared for the media session. The family said he also informed them that he had a lot of work in the office.
They said Msando called home a few minutes after 8pm on Friday to confirm that he would be late because he was held up at work.
“But when I called him at around 10pm, his phone was off. I was in the house with the children and struggled to put them in bed because they were waiting for their dad. They were so close,” said a close relative.
“I tried calling him again and again but all his phones remained off, which was very unusual. But nothing suspicious crossed my mind. I assumed that since he had mentioned having a lot of work at the office, he was simply held up.”
On Saturday, after checking with a few friends and colleagues, Msando’s wife filed a missing person report at Embakasi Police Station and immediately began a search.
Calling relatives
The family said they started calling relatives and friends, seeking information on where he could be.
Relatives said they hoped he would return from work worn-out but never imagined that his body was lying in a morgue.
What hurts the family greatly is the indications of torture on the body.
Msando is survived by four children aged between 10 and two years.
His family described him as an intelligent, humble and peace-loving man who was often called on to intervene in conflicts.
They said Msando maintained his friendships right from Busia Township Primary School, Sigalame High School and all the places where he worked.
