Emotional sendoff for KDF officer killed in Somalia

A somber mood engulfed Waunifor village in Ainabkoi Constituency as another Kenya Defence Forces officer who died in Somalia was laid to rest on Saturday.

Duncan Kibet Mutai died on 6th of May 2018 alongside his colleagues when they encountered an improvised explosive device (IED) in the general area of Degelema 8km from Dhobley.

The 35 year old, father of one, had just been married for only 28 days when he met his death. Mutai was remembered as a dedicated and disciplined officer.

“I was very shocked and his death touched my heart. On that fateful day, I was supposed to go with them but plans changed and I had to come back to Kenya for a few things. He used to work with me in my department and I have lost a great man,” said Sergeant Alex Maina.

He added they would continue protecting the country to keep the legacy of their fallen soldiers. “The mission will not stop. We will continue working and fighting for what they believed in. We will fight until when we win over the terrorists,” said the sergeant.

“We are mourning our brother as KDF. He was dedicated and had self sacrifice. He paid the ultimate price defending this nation for us to enjoy the peace we are enjoying today. We will not let him down by giving up,” condoled a senior officer.

Ainabkoi MP William Chepkut condoled the family and called on President Uhuru Kenyatta as the Commander in chief of the armed forces to employ new tactics in combating terrorists.

“I am appealing to the President to change tact on how to handle terrorists who continue to take lives of our soldiers. The terrorists are now using land mines and IEDs. We should consider new technologies for surveillance like drones and satellites. We have lost about three in this region and that is sad,” said Chepkut.

The legislator added that in June he will move a motion of compensation on officers who lose their lives in their libe of duty.

As Mutai was given the 21- gun salute, tears streamed down the cheeks of the thousands of mourners who had arrived to bid him farewell. When he was lowered to his final resting place his colleagues realized the void he had left was too wide to be filled.

Mutai joined the Kenya Army in 2007 and served as senior private for 10 years before joining Amison in July 2017. He joined Recruits Training School (RTS) in 2007 and was later posted to 12 engineers Thika.