Campus KDF vigil turns into a selfie fest

A group of students have expressed their displeasure at how a night vigil in honour of fallen Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers, whose camp was attacked by Al-Shabaab in Al-Adde, Somalia, was managed.

The students from the University of Nairobi had organised a candle-lighting vigil at the university’s graduation grounds to honour KDF soldiers who died in battle in Somalia.

“Those people lost their lives fighting for a good cause. We owe them as a nation and the least we can do is give them a befitting send-off. Because if I were among them, I’d want the same done for me,” said the organiser of the vigil, who chose to remain anonymous.

Everyone was required to carry at least a candle to be lit during the vigil. The turn-out was more than expected as students showed up in large numbers as they set aside their personal interests to honour the soldiers.

That was until all the candles had been lit, then everything went south. The prayers were hastily and carelessly conducted; the kind you say when sitting down for a meal and you’re afraid it’ll get cold, not the kind you say when lives are lost.

Then guys started posing for countless pictures with the candles and taking selfies, presumably, for their Instagram pages and Facebook updates. In less than one minute, what was supposed to be a vigil in honor of slain soldiers turned into a photo shoot.

“I’m disappointed at what I saw here today. I came here thinking people actually cared for the soldiers, but this is what it turns out to be? What a shame! We should be ashamed as an institution,” said a student only willing to give his name as Jack.