Bombed Coast hotel reopens
Kenya Army's John Mwangi demonstrates how to detect a landmine at the opening ceremony of the Nairobi Summit, at Kenyatta International Conference Centre, yesterday.
The Mombasa hotel that was bombed by terrorists, two years ago, re-opened yesterday.
Israel and Kenya governments announced their commitment not to be intimidated by terrorists during the emotional opening ceremony of Paradise Hotel, in Kikambala.
"You will not break our spirit, we will not bow down to you and we will fight you with all our combined strength to protect our free and democratic way of life," said Israeli ambassador Emmanuel Seri when he unveiled a commemorative plaque bearing the names of those who died in the attack on the hotel.
The envoy noted that although the number and volume of Israeli tourists had gone down due to fear of attacks by terrorists, Isreal was aware of the efforts by the Kenya Government to fight terrorism and make the country safe for all.
"By re-opening of the Paradise Hotel in Kikambala, we are proving to these terrorists that we are not afraid and that we will not let them destroy our way of life," he said.
He described the Msumarini villagers as the true victims of the blast as they lost loved ones and a source of employment when the hotel was blown up.
"I pray that the re-opening of Paradise Hotel will return your livelihoods but unfortunately not your loved ones," he said.
Area MP Joe Khamisi represented acting Tourism minister Rapheal Tuju, who was in Nairobi attending the official opening of an international conference against landmines.
"I thank the Government for donating Sh3 million to the victims but this was just a government way of saying sorry. It is more important to have these people compensated in full," said Mr Khamisi.
The atmosphere was sombre as the village seemed to go into mourning again as hundreds of villagers gathered to remember the fateful morning of November 28, 2002, when terrorists attacked the hotel and killed 15 people.
Mrs Mufida Mohammed, who lost her husband, a taxi diver, fainted as she laid a wreath at the site where the bomb exploded and killed him as he dropped guests at the hotel. Their two children–seven-year-old Anita and three-year-old Aisha Owour–broke into tears as they laid their own wreath to remember their father.
Several other children, whose parents were killed by the blast, sobbed uncontrollably as Mr Seri unveiled the memorial plaque.
Other than the plaque, the hotel's management has built a 14-bed clinic for use by the community.
