A flower was uprooted from my garden and it cannot be replaced – Baby Pendo’s mother – VIDEO
The mother of the late six-month-old Samantha Pendo has appealed to politicians to embrace peace in the country after election results are announced.
Lencer Achieng made the appeal as she reflected on her baby Pendo’s death while speaking at the Bomas of Kenya during the launch of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) on Monday.
Baby Pendo was killed by police on August 11, 2017, during the electoral violence that rocked the area after the Supreme Court annulled the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“A flower was uprooted from my garden and it cannot be replaced. I can be given another person but not the same person like Pendo,” Achieng said emotionally.
She further asked the politicians not to leave Kenyans with agony and pain after each election.
“Don’t leave us with pain and agony. When we are aggrieved come and see how the family of the victim is fairing on,” she appealed.
Achieng further commended President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga for their infamous handshake that brought about peace and reconciliation in the country.
“President Uhuru Kenyatta, I have never seen you face to face but I know you are a cheerful person, and I was happy when Honorable Raila came and shake hands so we can move the country forward,” she added.
Pendo’s father, Joseph Abanja, also lauded the handshake between Kenyatta and Odinga and urged Kenyans not to be deceived by politicians during the electioneering period.
Abanja said his daughter’s blood should be the last to be shed because of an election.
“Let the blood of my child be the last time blood is shed because of divisive elections,” he said.
Baby Pendo was killed by one of baton-wielding policemen, who had raided her parents’ home in Kisumu’s Nyalenda area during the protests that marked the 2017 general election.
An inquest in February 2019 found five police commanders liable for baby Pendo’s death.