Mashujaa Day, which replaced Kenyatta Day, is a public holiday to honor all Kenyans who contributed to the struggle for Kenya's independence or positively contributed to post-independent Kenya.
This year's Mashujaa day served well as a 16-year-old girl got recognized as a Shujaa for saving the lives of her classmates.
Sylvia Cheptowot Losorekow recalls how they were attacked by bandits in Elgeyo Marakwet, in early February of 2022 when they were returning to school from a field trip.
In February, the country's collective attention was drawn to reports of the incident in Baringo where a convoy of three buses, ferrying high school children, had been attacked by bandits.
Sylvia was one of the girls in that ill-fated bus on that day. She remembers the good moments they spent on that trip as if it were yesterday.
Unfortunately, that cheery atmosphere got shattered most terrifyingly.
Bandits lay in ambush and opened fire on the bus.
“Tukakutana na wahalifu, tukapigwa na risasi, driver wetu akakufa na wenzangu wakaumi,hata mimi niliskia nimepigwa kwa miguu mbili yote, na ya left ikavunjika,” she narrated
She got confused, bleeding profusely, and afraid of the dangerous situation the students found themselves in.
Sylvia clicked her brain on what to do but to her good, she heard the attackers speak in a language she understood.
“Walikuwa wanataka kuingia basi, mimi nikafungua mdomo nikaongea, ndio hao wakasikia mdomo yangu, nikapiga nduru, wakasikia, nikawaambia sisi ni wanafunzi wa Tot High School na sisi ni Pokot tuko ndani msitumalize,” she says
It was her words and courage that saved their lives and immediately the bandits abolished their deadly mission.
Their teacher known as Mercy Korir was also a victim as she confirmed Sylvia's bold courage.
She added that;
“Sylvia akasave the many because the intention of those guys, naskia walikuwa wanataka kuingia kwa bus ndani ndio Sylvia aka open up akaongea and then they fled.
Sylvia and other students were rescued from the scene of the deadly attack and got treatment at a local hospital.
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