Senate ratifies new plan to compel US to compensate victims of 1998 Nairobi bomblast

Senate faults US government over failure to compensate Kenyan victims of the 1998 Nairobi bomblast.

Through Order Paper No. 11, which was released on March 8th, the Senate criticized the US for not providing compensation to those harmed in the 1998 attack on the US Embassy in Nairobi.

The Senate further ratified a new plan in relation to the compensation process.

This was after Machakos Senator Agnes Kavindu had earlier introduced a motion calling for the US government to compensate the bomb blast victims.

“A disaster is an overwhelming event that tests the adaptation of responses of a community or individuals beyond their capability and leads momentarily to massive disruption of function that often exceeds the capacity to cope using existing resources.

“Such was the case with the 1998 US Embassy Bomb disaster in Nairobi that resulted in 213 Kenyans and 12 Americans killed and over 5000 citizens of both countries being seriously injured,” the motion read in part.

Kavindu testified before the Senate that both US and Kenyan residents had to bear a heavy burden of loss of life as well as long-lasting and frequently irreversible physical and psychological harm following the catastrophe.

Nonetheless, she regretted that the US chose to reward her citizens while ignoring Kenyans.

As a result, the House made resolutions to compel the US government to take responsibility for the matter.

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“The Senate resolves that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, advance friendship and cooperation between the United States and Kenya by supporting the eligibility of Kenyan and American victims and their personal representatives, surviving spouses, and next of kin in the Victim Compensation Fund pursuant to the Justice for United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act,” the Senate resolved.

If adopted, families of those who lost their loved ones will receive compensation from the US federal government.

The Senate further gave hope to survivors of the 1998 tragedy, burdened by medical bills over the years.

“Ministry of Foreign Affairs should partner with the Ministry of Health to explore subsidized medical treatment for the surviving victims of the bomb blast,” the Senate directed.

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