Labour CS Florence Bore to set up committee for welfare of 1998 US Embassy bombing

Labour and Social Protection CS Florence Bore. [File, Standard]

Labour and Social Protection CS Florence Bore has promised to set up social protection and labour committees to look into the welfare of the 1998 US Embassy in Nairobi bombing terrorist attack victims in two weeks’ time, she promised while appearing before the Senate committee on Thursday, September 21^st,2023 at Bunge Towers, Nairobi

‘We will set up the Labour and social welfare committees to look into the welfare of the victims. Be assured I’ll take up the issues with the relevant bodies and organizations and also inform the cabinet’ Said Bore.

The Senate Adhoc Committee that is pushing for compensation to the Kenyan victims of the 1998 US Embassy in Nairobi bombing terrorist attack Chaired by Machakos Senator Agnes Kavindu Muthama has been pushing for the compensation which has lasted for 25 years since the attacks happened. Most Kenyans who suffered collateral injuries have not been paid by the US Government, the US Government only compensated their Citizens and allied businesses who were affected by the attack.

Vice Chair of the committee Taita Taveta Senator Jones Mwaruma urged the CS to look into the issues of those who were wrongly dismissed by their employers after they suffered injuries from the Bomb blast attack

‘The CS should also take up the matter with the companies who dismissed those who were unable to perform their duties as a result of the attack, these are innocent Kenyans who suffered collateral attack, most of them were dismissed without their benefits and dues, and they are facing it rough in life’ Said Mwaruma

Caroline Muthoka Wavai, Chair, International Convener Consortium of August 7 1998 Victims Association is hopeful that this time round the victims will finally be compensated

‘It’s been a rough 25 years for the victims, most of them can no longer fend for themselves, and life has become miserable for them, but we are optimistic there is light at the end of the tunnel’ Said Caroline

The Ad Hoc Committee’s Chair Senator Agnes Kavindu and her team of Senators Beatrice Ogola, Peris Tobiko, Alexander Mundigi, and Jackson Mandago have been meeting with various stakeholders including Foreign Affairs CS Dr. Alfred Mutua, US-based activist Dr. Romona Tescoe and lawyer Philip Musolino to push for their compensations

‘Even as we chase the compensation of the victims from the US Government, we are appealing to our Kenyan Government to come in and assist in whatever way they can, these are our people, and there is so much our Government can do to help improve their lives’ Added Agnes Kavindu.

The Committee upon meeting all relevant stakeholders will head to the US to present their case.