The Garissa attack extinguished the holiday mood

I started my primary education in a strict Catholic school where religious celebrations were taken way too seriously. The Easter celebration was one such moment. In fact the whole week before Easter was a Holy week that we often spent just praying and having night mass with more than the usual singing of hymns. Today is Easter Sunday, the day Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead. It is a day that many start with a visit to church to connect with their God before retiring with their families to sumptuous meals and drinks to wash down the food. It is a day when those with some money to spend would not mind being entertained by those who do it for a living. However this time it is quite difficult for many people, especially our brothers and sisters in Kenya, to fully indulge in celebrating Easter. The terrorist attack on Garissa University College on Thursday is undoubtedly the most horrific event we have witnessed in the region this year. By the time of writing this, 148 people had lost their lives in the attack while scores more were left injured physically or mentally scarred. Everybody knows what terrorism is about but our Kenyan brothers have suffered way too much. This is the same country that in recent times has suffered deadly attacks in Mpeketoni, Mandera, Westgate Mall and also the bombing of the US embassy that claimed over 200 lives. The ruthless terrorists with their penchant for soft unarmed targets, decided to end the promising lives of university students. Like in previous attacks, they continue to hide behind Islam yet all they are doing is mercilessly killing innocent people. It is impossible to enjoy the Easter celebrations when you stop and think about the trauma students endured as they waited to be rescued for about 12 hours starting at 5am. The agony of the parents whose children’s futures have been brought to a brutal end is impossible to imagine. The countries future has been defiled with that terror act and the rest of the world condemns these barbaric attacks and calls on Kenyans to remain united and keep the resolve to defeat the extremists. Kenya’s security forces have to step up their game as far as intelligence gathering and response to attacks is concerned. So many lives have been lost and this has got to stop. It is also important to humanise and remember the dead. They are not mere statistics but individuals who had loving families and dreams to chase. May their souls rest in eternal peace. In an almost related incident, in Uganda, a state prosecutor was shot dead by gunmen said to have been travelling on a motorcycle. Joan Kagezi was the lead prosecutor in the case against those suspected to have carried out the July 2010 attacks terrorist attack in Kampala that claimed over 75 lives. What I found so hard to digest is the fact that her children were in the car with her and witnessed this traumatic experience. Here in Rwanda, already more than 500 people have crossed from neighbouring Burundi to seek refugee here as they escape the political tension in their country as presidential elections draw closer. I hope and pray that the election process in Burundi is a peaceful one just like the recently concluded one in Nigeria that got everyone talking. Like Burundi, Tanzania also intends to have a referendum and then a general election. However the referendum date has been postponed to allow for meaningful preparations to take place. Looking at the infrastructure projects lined up by Tanzania, you can’t help but foresee a vibrant EAC in the years ahead. On Tuesday, Rwanda will kick off another week of commemorating the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. This is a time to honour the victims of the atrocity that was the genocide and renewing our commitment to ensure that never again shall such evil descend not only on Rwanda but on anywhere in the world. Therefore as Rwandans reflect on where they have been and where they want to go, the rest of region should also join and think about security in the region as a whole. With all this loss of lives to terrorism, I think as a region we need to join hands and recognise that every life matters. Maybe it is time to have an urgent EAC head of states’ meeting to discuss or review the security situation in region.

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The Garissa attack extinguished the holiday mood