Remarks on Behalf of the Embassy Nairobi FSN's

We remember it was on this day when the nations of Kenya and America were robbed off brilliant, courageous, strong men and women, with their warm love, jokes, sounds of beautiful voices and their beautiful and handsome faces for eternity. We in the Embassy Nairobi, and Kenya as a whole, remained with orphaned children, widows and widowers who were left by their beloved ones without saying goodbye. It is six years down the line and tears still roll down our cheeks, our internal wounds still bleed as we put on a brave face to go on regardless of our grieving souls.

Our family members bear a heavier load each day emotionally and psychologically, as some of our children so often plead with us saying mum or dad do not go on duty today there is a bomb. It is the unfortunate permanent word that was added to their vocabulary. To date many survivors still frequent hospitals Kenya and abroad for treatment and medical check up. Some are partially blind, walking with the help of a cane, to help feel the objects to avoid stumbling over them. Others with double vision that causes untold embarrassment and trauma  Others with hearing aid in their ears and having to beg pardon many times when being talked to Others with blood pressure, backaches, headaches and untold nightmares of the trauma, and others suffering from Asthma that was contracted on that day material day, as a result of breathing in fumes.

We are very grateful to the U.S Government, which has borne the medical expenses for the families of our diseased colleagues and the Embassy survivors and have provided a shoulder to cry on.  The terrorists have sought with passion from that day on to control our lives with fear. To this we say no because fear paralyses. They have sought to fold the wings of the eagle (which is a symbol of United States of America) but they have failed terribly as the eagle continues to fly higher with its wings spread out, providing cover and protection to many nations.

For the new comers to the Embassy community, when you see some of us moving with a cane, limping, begging for pardon many times as you talk to us and some blinking our eyes as we try to get a clear vision, please do not wonder nor frown we are just learning to cope with our permanent disabilities. Regardless of the aforesaid, the FSNs are determined not to nurse these wounds, and not to bow down to fear and every threat that so often come up but by God’s Grace have vowed to move on to higher heights.  As the proverb says" blood is thicker than water", so it is with the blood of the Americans and Kenyans that was shed. It cemented our relationship forever.