Ex-soldier with bullet in chest for 55 years

Philip Barsulai shows a scar left by a bullet lodged near his heart after he was shot during the Shifta war in 1964.

For more than half a century, Philip Barsulai has been walking around with a bullet lodged in his chest.

For the 75-year-old retired Kenya Rifles soldier, it is a reminder of his deadly encounter with ethnic militia on February 17, 1964 during the Shifta war.

During an interview with The Standard at his Tabsagoi home in Turbo, Uasin Gishu, yesterday, Barsulai said he was grateful to God for having lived with his injuries for the past 55 years.

He said the country’s campaign against Al Shabaab militants always triggers memories of how his ‘B’ Company group was ambushed by Shifta militia members who lobbed grenades and sprayed them with bullets.

The attack at Mogadashe near Garissa in the then North Eastern Province led to a fierce gunfight that lasted about five hours. When the guns finally fell silent, one officer lay dead while another had to have his leg amputated.

The soldiers managed to kill one of the attackers.

Barsulai, who was shot several times, recalled that he was aged 19 and had only served in the military for about one year after his recruitment in November 1963.

“I was an athlete and white soldiers under the Kings African Rifles, which later became KR, recruited me and took me for a nine-month military course in Nanyuki. After the final parade, I was deployed to serve in Garissa,” Barsulai said.

He said he had served in various assignments, including operations in the Shifta war in regions like Dadaab that had always turn out successfully.

Then came a task to escort relief food to Modagashe and Barsulai’s camp was assigned the responsibility to ensure safe passage.

Opened fire

“We woke up upbeat in our camp and after a master parade for inspection, we loaded our truck and left. But before reaching our destination, the Shifta militia sandwiched our convoy and opened fire from all sides,” he said.

Barsulai said his team responded and a battle ensued from 9am to 3pm.

“A grenade blew up our lorry and I sustained injuries on my right leg. A bullet pierced through the left side of my chest and lodged inside. Another hit my left leg, leaving permanent scars,” he said while showing the bullet marks.

Barsulai said they were rescued and taken to Garissa General Hospital before being airlifted to Wilson Airport and admitted at a British military hospital in Kabete for several weeks.

“I was an active youth and yearned to serve my country as an active officer. Following the injury, doctors said the bullet had lodged near my heart and it would have been risky to attempt to remove it. I was then recommended for lighter duties from 1965 when I was 21.”

Barsulai has in his possession a picture of President Jomo Kenyatta being shown his wounds when he toured Lanet in 1964. Kenyatta was accompanied by Health and Housing minister Njoroge Mungai.

A letter signed by Lt Col T. A. Matheson dated February 21, 1964 indicated that Barsulai was among three soldiers wounded in action against the Shifta. It recommended “their registration should they require assistance in due course”.

Barsulai was later deployed to serve as a clerk in various units. He retired as a master chief clerk at the Embakasi Garrison in 2000 with the rank of Warrant Officer 1.

He expressed frustration in seeking compensation and appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene so that he could be compensated.

“I was in robust health until the Shifta encounter. I urge the Government to compensate me since I am now ageing and cannot do much work. The injuries have since healed but with scars, while the bullet lodged in the chest causes me occasional pain.

“In my current state of health, I struggle while travelling in public vehicles,” he said.

A 2017 report by a medical board indicated the extent of his injuries.

Visible scar

“Chest X-ray shows a bullet lodged on the left lateral aspect of the chest with obvious scar visible on the right side of the chest. There is a visible scar on the lateral and medial aspect of the right upper arm with right arm X-ray showing multiple fragments. Also, there is a visible scar on the right thigh with X-ray showing a fragment on the right calf muscle.”

The board’s opinion is that Barsulai sustained blast gunshot injuries with significant impairment of functions while on duty.

“He has intractable pain and limitation of movement of the corresponding parts of his body due to foreign bodies. The left antero-lateral aspect of chest and right calf foreign bodies are extractable,” reads the report in part.

It recommends exploration and extraction of the shrapnel before an objective assessment of his disability is done.