THE WESTGATE MALL ATTACK

WESTGATE MALL MASSACRE IS UNFORGETTABLE

By Maritim Kipngetich

FILE: A picture showing dead bodies inside Westgate in 21st September last year.

It is only three days for Kenyans and outside world to commemorate what happened in Westgate Mall one year ago and my question is, did Kenyan security personnel learn anything from that mayhem?

September 21, 2014 is the day which will not be forgotten soon in Kenya. Most people refer it as a ‘dark day’. The families who lost their relatives will always be scared when they hear about Westgate shopping mall. Many families including that of Kenyan President were traumatized. The head of state lost his close family member during that attack. The attack left approximately 67 people dead and over 175 wounded  as it was reported by the media.

The reporting of events in Westgate by security officials could show lack of competence among the security personnel. The Cabinet Secretary in charge of internal security could report direct opposite of what was happening inside the Mall. The close-circuit television footage showed that the attackers were using AK-47s and grenades and not machine guns as it was reported by the Cabinet Secretary. The burning of the gas cylinders inside the Mall was clearly seen, but the CS reported that the culprits were burning mattresses inside the Mall. The CCTV cameras showed only four attackers inside the Mall, but the CS reported that there were between ten and fifteen attackers.

The people took to social media to comment on what was happening in the Westgate with some liking Kenya with Iraq.

The president himself promised to form the commission of inquiry to investigate what happened in Westgate, but nothing happened after that. He said the parliament promised to do the same and that is why he left out the issue. Though the three arms of government are independent, he would still call upon the parliament to commence the investigation since he had promised Kenyans.

It is always said once beaten twice shy. But that proverb never meant anything to whoever in charge of security in Kenya. Indeed, several terror attacks continued to be executed by the Somalia-based al-Shabaab terror group. The most pronounced one was the one which took place in Mpeketoni in June this year. There were no clear reports from the government on who perpetuated the vice. There were rumours that the head of intelligence service differed with government on who caused the aftermath at Mpeketoni. The stand of the intelligence head was that the al-Shabaab militants were the one who attacked the region, but the government blamed the opposition by saying the mayhem was politically instigated.

The Westgate siege was the second most catastrophic terror attack in Kenya after 1998 bomb blast which targeted American Embassy which was then situated along Haile Selassie Avenue off Moi Avenue, Nairobi. The attack left over 200 people dead and close to a thousand sustained injuries.

FILE: KDF soldiers assisting the regular police in Westgate in September last year.

Since the government has known that anywhere can be attacked at anytime, it should put in place proper mechanism to ensure the security of Kenyans is well taken care of. It is beyond human imagination when one tries to envisage how attackers arrived at Westgate Mall after passing several road blocks within Nairobi!