By Anderson Ojwang’
Memories of their colourful wedding last December and later their honeymoon are still fresh in her mind.
To Doreen Magak, her husband Edward Okoyo, who was serving in Kenya Defence Forces in Somalia is still alive and will return home when the war ends soon.
Mr Edward Okoyo and his wife Dorine Magak during their wedding in Kisumu on December 17. [PHOTO: JAMES KEYI/STANDARD] |
But that is just a thought. Okoyo was among soldiers killed by Al Shabaab militants on January 22 in Somalia, barely a month after wedding Magak.
She recounts the twist of events that have altered her life forever with sadness.
"I feel scared today. My body is shivering and I feel weak," the 27-year-old, who lives in Kakamega, recalls her husband told her on telephone from Somalia hours before he met his death.
He had called to inform her that they would be going for an operation in a town in Somalia for seven days, but expressed fear about the exercise.
Blissful empire
The telephone conversation, she narrates, was clouded with premonition. My husband expressed fear and desire to be back home.
"I felt strange. His talk made me worried. I could feel some sense of pain and fear in his voice and speech. I could not really tell what it was but deep down in my heart, I felt some sense of fear," she says.
Magak consoled her husband and promised him that soon the war would be over and they would be together to start a family and build a blissful empire together.
"I re-assured him that all was well and that he should not be scared. God was his protector and he should not fear death. The military calling was to be ready to defend the one’s country," she told him.
At about 8pm that Sunday, she received a text message from her husband. "Hi baby Hw R U. Doing great n just missing U big ma loving sweet queen."
The next day, she sent him a text message that was delivered after 30 minutes, but there was no reply. She felt tired and had worries about her husband’s safety.
"When I did not get a reply, I became tense but managed to continue with my work. I was able to cook. But before I could eat, I received a telephone call," she says.
Her sister-in-law, a student at a secondary school in Kasipul Kabondo, Homa Bay County informed her military officers had visited their home and informed them Okoyo was dead.
Bleak future
"My whole world came crumbling. I could not believe my ears. I wondered why it had to be me," Magak says.
The two married at Arya Primary School in Kisumu on December 17 and later went for a three-day honeymoon.
But Okoyo had to leave for Nanyuki military base on December 21 to join Kenya Defence Forces troops that were to leave the next day for Somalia.
She says the death of her husband is a major setback to their family since he was the breadwinner.
"He was everything to me. All my hopes and aspirations have come crumbling, the future now looks bleak," she says.
Okoyo was recruited in the military as a cadet in 2009 after completing a degree at KCA University.
On Wednesday, Magak was at Tusky Mall in Kisumu where they first met three years ago while shopping.
Okoyo’s family lives in Othoro village, Kasipul Kabondo.
