DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa on Monday opened up about his first visit to Cooperative Bank building in Nairobi 14 years after the 1998 bomb blast.
Speaking on Monday during the 25th commemoration service for the victims, Wamalwa revealed that upon his appointment in 2012 as a minister he had to pray before setting his foot in the building.
“I had a phobia for this building and so when late President Mwai Kibaki appointed me as a Minister for Justice in 2012, I had to say a short prayer... we feared coming to this place because of what we saw on that day,” he said.
The Ministry’s offices were then housed at the building.
Wamalwa noted that he was with Baringo Senator William Cheptumo who was then his assistant Minister for Justice.
“On the day of the bomb blast, I was a very young lawyer practicing right behind Hilton Hotel at Corner House and when it happened we felt the tremors all the way across the streets,” he said.
Wamalwa had joined the families, friends, and relatives of the victims during the annual service at the memorial park.
Also in attendance were Wiper party Kalonzo Musyoka, and Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua among others including representatives from the US embassy.
Calls on the governments of the US and Kenya to compensate the victims mounted took the centre stage during the event.
Karua said the victims of the bomb blast have waited for compensation for 25 years now since the terror attack.
"A time has come when the two governments must sit together and see what can be done. It is not enough to say the matter is in court. Both governments have a responsibility; it has been said that Kenya took a bullet on behalf of the US," she said.
Kalonzo who was then the education minister recalled the events of the fateful day saying he had taken a flight to Tana River for an agricultural show before attending a graduation ceremony at Garissa Technical Training College currently Garissa University.
“We had to be called back quickly for a cabinet meeting and the whole country was in the grip of an incredible situation,” he narrated.