Somalia mission destroys soldier's wedding plan

Sunday February 7, 2016

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Parents of a slain Kenya Defence Forces soldier in Somalia on Saturday said the Al-Shabaab attack had dashed their son’s planned wedding to the love of his life.

Mr Ephraim Anjere and Mama Grace Mwenesi said the death of their son, senior private Stephen Ngota Anjere, had forced them to cancel the occasion at the last minute.

Speaking during his burial ceremony in Kakamega, Mr Anjere described his son as a loving person and breadwinner. He was their third born son.

“Our son had planned to marry his fiancée but preparations for the wedding ended up being postponed because he had to travel to Somalia for duty,” Mr Anjere at Ichina village in Mahiakalo ward, Lurambi constituency.

The 30-year-old army man was part of the group of soldiers killed in El-Adde following an ambush on the military base by Al-Shabaab fighters last month.

So far, the Defence Ministry has only accounted for about 30 soldiers who were at the camp. The camp had a company-size force — usually about 80 to 200 soldiers.

The slain officer was eulogised as a man who enjoyed the company of friends even after joining the military in 2010.

Mama Mwenesi narrated how the family spent sleepless nights trying to contact the soldier after news of the attack came in.

“The delay by the government to provide information to us on the fate of our son only served to deepen our anguish,” she said.

FAMILY'S SORROW

Mr Anjere said the government should have made quicker efforts to contact relatives of the soldiers and update them on the tragedy instead of leaving them in the dark.

And in Homa Bay County, a family’s anxiety came to a painful end when the body of their slain son was identified in Nairobi.

The charred remains of Wycliffe Oguta, 26, were found at the Armed Forces Memorial Hospital mortuary after several days of searching.

Mr William Oguta, the family spokesperson, said they identified the soldier by his fingers. “We were lucky not to undergo rigorous DNA tests because the fingers were visible,” he said.

Mr Oguta said the body is expected to arrive home in Oguta village, Lambwe, for burial next week.

Mr Oguta, who was attached to Eldoret Baracks, was married to Quinter Wycliffe and had a two-year-old-son, Oscar Ryan.

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