As many Ugandans remember the terrorism inversion of Westgate Shopping Mail in Nairobi- Kenya 2014 where many people were killed The Uganda Today narrates the story of the survivor John Bosco Odoi a Uganda, who was in the mall at the incident.
Odoi, who is the National Vice Chairman of Uganda Hotels, Foods, Tourism and Allied Workers Union told Munno Voice that he was one of the many shoppers at Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya on the day he will never forget in his life.
“When I was in the mall with other Ugandans, I heard a commotion in the mall and I suspect an inversion of some terrorist Al- Shaban immediately came in to my mind and l was right that they could have struck.
Odoi who is also a-part time employee of Sheraton Hotel Kampala and resident of Bukasa – Kirinya village -Kampala said that he had gone to Nairobi on September 18, 2013 with five other members of the UHFTAWU to attend an international network conference that was held at Moi international Centre Nairobi.
After the closure of the conference that ended on September 21, 2013 the delegate was supposed to meet Nakumatt managing director Pram Day, September 21st, 203 the delegates were supposed to meet Nakumati managing director Pram at the Westgate the next day September 22, 2013 that was why they were coincidentally caught in the trap.
“We arrived at the Westgate Mall at 11; 30 am where Pram welcomed us at the main entrance. He took us on a guided tour of the place, but as we walked towards Nakumatt stores. The power went off for some 4 to 5 minutes. It however came back and we continued with our tour. As we moved on, we saw people shouting and running in all direction saying “thieves, thieves”! We at first ignored it thinking it was a simple commotion of hooligans
However, another group of people also came shouting the same thing “thieves but immediately heard a big sound of something busting. People were being killed indiscriminately.
Odoi tells that he survived by a whisker under the power of Rosary.
All of us stopped thinking of what could have happened we were thinking of what to do next another thing bust again gun shoots followed and thunder-like sound also followed something like heavy rain on iron sheet (waaaaaaaaaaaa) was heard.
Our group dispersed following a third incredible big bang, I remember our general secretary, Stephen Mugole and John White Baleke ran with Pram while Assumpta Namaganda, David Okello, Moses Mauku and I remained behind, because we lost truck of our colleagues.
“We only knew only one route towards the main entrance through which we entered”. Odoi narrated the story as he trembled and shed tears. Odoi said that he saw blood flowing like a stream of water around. However, he gained said that as God is always good, they found refuge in one of the corners of the building near a mirror.
People continued to run around in all directions and bodies littered everywhere as gunshots raged on. We saw a soldier near where we were and my friend Mauka wanted to call for rescue but I stopped him to be a terrorist other than a Kenyan policeman.
As I was thinking what to do next and; as my mind went crazy, I remembered that I had a rosary around my neck. I started reciting my rosary as I was called on the virgin Mary to intercede for us. My college Namaganda who was near me asked whether l had another rosary and I told her l did not have one. l told her to come and join me so that we recite mine together.
As we were about to complete our rosary, Mugole called me asking where l was. He told me that the gun men were terrorists. We were trapped inside the building for four hours of real hell and agony as we smelt horrible smell from the gun fire.
We recited the rosary until the Kenyan police and other security personnel rescued us from hell inside the building. As we were being led outside, we saw soldiers and civilians who were shot! We were jumping bodies with blood oozing out which was a horrible sight. Passports, money purses, handbags and shoes were all over. I thank God we were saved and our lives spared.
