August 1 1982, Nairobi Kenya.
It was the day that changed a lot of Kenya’s history to what it is, today. It was the catalyst to the Mwakenya Movement Crack down that saw many Kenyans, tortured and murdered by Secret agents of the government
From that day, people really feared the police. People looted, many were killed, guys had to walk with their hands held above their heads and ID cards in their mouths. Whats your story?
25 years later, record where you were and what the foiled Coup of 1982, means to you.
I was 10 days shy of turning 6. That Sunday mid morning we were just chilling at home. Next thing we know, we had a loud bang (we lived in Ngei, walking distance from the army barracks). At first we didn’t know what it was, but my father who had the radio on realised something was amiss. He quickly told us to shut all the doors and windows and stay away from sight. That’s when I knew things were bad.
As to what it means to me? I have never really thought about that. I do know of one person who was directly affected by it, as he was a member of the airforce at the time, and suffered, along with all his colleagues, being decommissioned. What looked like doom at the time did not deter him, and he went on into a great career in teaching.