By Ibrahim Ndamwe

A bizarre event is being relived in Wajir, courtesy of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission.

It emerges that in the 1980s, 3,000 people were killed by law enforcement forces at Wagalla. Another 4,000 seem to have vanished into thin air.

There are also claims that some people were castrated, others raped and that scores were beaten up and crippled.

To realise how surreal these reports sound, you only need to reflect on the fact that Kenya’s post-election violence claimed only 1,300 lives and caused the displacement of hundreds of thousands over a period of one month.

You will, of course, recall that these macabre events were broadcast across the world, riveting everyone’s attention and causing heads of state, famed diplomats, negotiators and religious leaders to fly to Nairobi immediately.

So how did 3,000 men and women get murdered without a whimper? Where are these 4,000 people who seem to have vanished without a trace?

Confusion and stampede

These reports clash with the official position. If in doubt, refer to the official Government account of the day: "A scuffle erupted when the DC, accompanied by the local OCPD, got to the airstrip. (You may, as an aside, note that why the scuffle erupted is not explained.)

"Some people fled (God knows why) while others shouted at Government officials. In this confusion and stampede, 29 people died from gunshots (Oh, I see! So there were gunshots...) or were trampled upon (Let’s give them the benefit of doubt). Twenty-eight others were killed when the army met some resistance (Wait a minute...what exactly was the army doing that caused this resistance? Either way, 28 people are a whole lot of civilians to shoot in the head in peacetime, don’t you think?)."

Fertile imagination

Anyway, looking at this account, which was lifted from a daily newspaper, one would be led to believe that the people of Wagalla were mad. Look, when they set eyes on the DC and the OCPD, they, apropos of nothing, started a scuffle. Others took off.

Then, the report continues, they shouted at Government officials. The suggestion here is, what was the army to do when everyone was resisting its might?

Anyway, to cut a long story short, only 57 people, according to official Government reports, died.

Cold blood

After all, if 3,000 people were murdered, someone, at least one person, who participated in that massacre, should have been gulled enough to step forward and say something. How do you look at your wife and children in the eye when you know you murdered 3,000 people in cold blood?

How do you live with such a gory secret for decades? How do you cope with your well-deserved nightmares, assuming you have the heart to have them?

This is what does not add up about the official account of what happened in this unhappy place.