Her books, memories are all we’re left with, says mother
By Alvin Mwangi, September 25, 2019“We expected her to score more than 430 marks in her KCPE exam. But now we are left with only her books and awards,” said Nancy Bosibori, the mother of Germine City Njeru, one of the pupils who died in the Precious Talents School disaster on Monday.
Wiping tears after viewing the remains of her daughter at City Mortuary, Bosibori said Germine’s dream was to become a medic.
That was until her life and dream were cut short by the collapsing roof of the very class in which the Standard Eight pupil was working hard to achieve her life’s aspirations.
Njeru’s promise was not only in academics. According to her mother, she was a multi-talented child who also had amazing artistic skills, demonstrating equal zeal with a painting brush as with a mathematical problem.
She was also a responsible child whose parents often entrusted with younger siblings when they were away.
“She could take care of her siblings when we were not at home. It is a sad loss to our family. I can’t even explain how life will be without her,” said Bosibori, her voice trembling.
Family prayer
At the city mortuary yesterday, Bosibori and her husband David Njeru, relatives and friends waited for the postmortem results of Germine’s body.
Her father narrated how on the fateful morning, Germine woke up early, prepared breakfast, before leading the family in prayers as it was the daily norm.
“Learning of her death was the saddest, lowest moment of my life. When I saw her remains, I just recalled how barely an hour before, we had had a wonderful family time together before she left for school,” said Njeru.
He said the family plans to lay Germine to rest on Wednesday next week at their Meru home.
Like the Njerus, the family of Bishop Isaac Idambo, is still struggling to come to terms with the death of their daughter Emna Idambo in the school tragedy.
Bishop Idambo, who leads The Gate of Holiness Church, said the family was planning to give Emna her final farewell at their Turbo home on Saturday.
Rules flouted
Ngando residents were also still coming to terms with the tragedy.
“I had just arrived home from a night shift at work only to be awoken by heartrending screams of children calling for help,” said John Mutua, a neighbour of the school.
Mutua said because there is no single public school in the area, people who were only interested in making money had taken advantage of the situation to set up learning institutions that flouted all the rules and regulations.
People Daily counted at least four schools near the ill-fated Precious Talents School whose buildings are sub-standard and have glaring sanitation problems.
Precious Talents owner Moses Wainana blamed the county government for the collapse of the classroom, saying it had been weakened by the digging of a sewer line.
But the National Buildings Inspectorate has accused Wainana of negligence and building a weak structure.
Deputy President William Ruto and Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha have promised to establish a public primary school in the area within three months.