How devastated mother lost courage to face people or go to church

 

Daniel Wairia and Agatha Nduta hold a portrait of their son Corporal Peter Ndegwa 39, who was killed at El Adde attack on KDF troops’ camp in Somalia. (Photo:Kibata Kihu/Standard)

Agatha Nduta and her husband Daniel Wairia sit outside their home in Mathakwaini village in Nyeri County. They stare at the grave of their son, Peter Ndegwa, who was killed in El Adde in Somalia last year.

To them, January 15 will remain in their memory forever. “I have not left my home since my son died because I do not have the courage and strength to face people or go to church like I used to,” Nduta says.

As a devastated Nduta tried to put on a brave face during the interview as Wairia remained silent.

“The last time I heard from him was on December 28, 2014 when he told me he will be going to El Adde and would not be in a position to call me anytime soon,” she says.

She candidly explained that it was difficult to comprehend where El Adde was or the terrain her son was in at the time but she encouraged him to diligently carry out his duty. However, on January 17, 2016, she received a call from Ndegwa’s wife informing her that there had been a terrorist attack on the camp.

“I was not sure what had transpired but she confirmed that my son was killed when the Al Shabaab militants struck. She also said they were trying to trace his body,” she said.

According to Nduta, earlier reports had indicated there were no DNA matches to any of the bodies at the Memorial Forces Hospital Mortuary.

The family got a reprieve on January 21, when her son who lives and works in the US and who was coordinating the funeral arrangements received a call from the Armed Forces Memorial Hospital that Ndegwa had been identified.

“He received a call and was informed that Ndegwa’s fingerprints had been used to identify him,” she stated. The family then went to the mortuary to verify the body.

Kenya Defense Forces soldiers offered her son a befitting burial in March. “It was a closed casket, and there was no sense of closure for me as the officers took charge of everything and the 21-gun salute was given,” she reveals.

Ndegwa was the last born in a family of seven and was the sole breadwinner. He joined the army in 2002.

Wairia says they do not have any information about compensation, adding that perhaps, Ndegwa’s widow, Rachael, had been compensated.

But when The Standard on Sunday contacted Mrs Ndegwa, she declined to comment, saying that was a private matter.