Choppers, 39 Gun Salute and the Tragic Death of a Member of the GSU Recce Squad During The Garissa University Massacre(Photos)

By Sue Watiri on April 13, 2015

Before the tragic attack on Garissa University College, Bernard Tonui was a lone member of the famous Israeli-trained ‘Recce Group’ of the paramilitary wing GSU.

During the attack, Mr. Tonui gallantly put his life on the line to fight the Al-shabaab insurgents who had wrecked havoc on Garissa University. Unfortunately, Tonui was killed in the line of duty. Boniface Mwangi attended his burial and had this tale to share:

Travelled to Cheleget village in Bomet County to bury Kenya’s hero Recce squad Bernard Tonui who was killed while rescuing Garissa University students. The men who flew to Garissa to spectate while RECCe squad travelled by road didn’t attend the funeral. Bomet’s Governor is Isaac Ruto,he was also the area MP for 10 years. The area has no elect

ricity, water or even roads and all the elected leaders arrived at the funeral using choppers.
Three choppers landed to “witness” Tonui’s funeral. Tonui was in the police service for 18 years and twice he was trained in the USA. The government spent millions training him but by the time of his death he was earning about Ksh 36000 ($400). Police officers do not have life insurance and the medical cover they were supposed to get hasn’t been effected. Tonui meager salary could only be enough to build a mud walled house for his wife Nelly and their four kids.

The politicians arrived late, got the best seats, politicked for so long and they had to be begged to stop so the burial could happen before 6pm. Once the time came to bury Tonui,the politicians with their poorly paid bodyguards disappeared. Tonui is one of the many police officers who sacrifice their lives for us but once they’re buried we move on. A dead politician is worth millions in compensation, a dead cop gets a coffin and a lorry to transport the body. Police officers deserve better