Westgate: We salute Kenyans for standing up to terrorism

Today Kenyans mark the first anniversary of the September 21, 2013 Westgate Mall terror attack; the day when terrorists began a four-day siege of the upmarket shopping mall, killing 67 people and injuring more than 200 others. It will be a sombre Sunday for Kenyans.

But even as the country joins hands in prayer for the families of victims of the attack, we should equally celebrate the gallant heroism of the Kenyans who came out to rescue the injured during the attack. Their compassionate actions were unsolicited; they were courageous actions of men and women, many of them civilians, who put their own lives on the line to rescue the helpless women and children caught up in the attack. These heroic deeds have been immortalised by the powerful images beamed the world over. They are images that show the true character of Kenyans; images that depict the indomitable spirit of our people.