By Grace Wekesa
Last Sunday was the darkest day for the family of Kevin Walumbe. The 27-year-old had gone to God’s House of Miracles International Church in Ngara to worship as he did every Sunday. But this was to be his last day alive on Earth.
A few hours after entering the church, Kevin lay dead while 16 others were injured in a grenade assault on the church.
Kevin, a Fourth Year student at Mt Kenya University, was studying for a Commerce degree and was planning to marry his fiancée after graduating in December, something he was looking forward to.
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Kevin Walumbe (also inset), his fiancee and a niece early this year.[Photos: Courtesy] |
His brother, Keith Walumbe, says last Saturday, the day before that fateful incident, Kevin visited a younger brother who owns a barbershop in Ngara and had his hair cut. Thereafter, they spent the rest of the day chatting. It didn’t occur to the brothers that that was the last time they would be together.
Why our family
"This is so sad. My brother has gone too soon before he could celebrate what he had toiled for many years (graduating),’’ says grieving Keith.
He says Kevin woke up as usual that Sunday and went to church as he often did. He sat on a chair near the podium. As the service was going on, something like a stone was thrown and it fell on Kevin’s chair. Before anyone would do anything, the grenade exploded.
The church informed a cousin, who is also Kevin’s neighbour, and he immediately called Keith to break the sad news.
"It was shattering. I keep asking, ‘Why Kevin? Why our family?’" he says struggling to choke back tears.
The sudden death of Kevin has opened wounds of sorrow in the family that lost their father two months ago. "Before we heal and overcome the sorrow, we are again in mourning," says Keith slowly, painfully.
