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I didn’t marry KDF soldier who rescued me, says Garissa survivor


A former student of Garissa University College who survived the Al Shabaab terror attack of April 2, 2015 has come out to clear her name over media stories about her purported marriage to a Kenya Defence Forces officer.

Ms Evelyne Muthoni Mwai caught world attention when pictures of her in a nightdress while being escorted out of the college by a uniformed KDF officers were published in the wake of the attack.

Evelyne was one of the few lucky survivors who lived to tell the tale of the bloody massacre by suspected Al Shabaab militants who stormed the institution early that Thursday morning.

The gunmen killed 148 people, mostly students, and left several others injured.

More than a year later, some Kenyan websites recently published stories about Evelyne’s marriage to the soldier who rescued her on that fateful day.

PICTURES ON SOCIAL MEDIA

But in a written response, a copy of which Nairobi News has obtained, Evelyne has termed those media reports as a misrepresentation of facts, since she has never been married.

In her lengthy rebuttal, she says whereas one of the students ended up marrying a KDF soldier, she is not the one, as has been reported in some online publication.

She went on to reveal the name of the student who got married to the KDF soldier.

“My pictures have been circulating in the social media that the KDF soldier who led me out of the scene eventually ended up marrying me. Personally, I am not married to anyone yet,” she says.

She further says that the publication of these stories have greatly distressed her and urged bloggers to spare her all the trouble that they are causing her.

“It has not been easy for me for the past one month to handle such situation because many Kenyans tend to believe what they read on the social media,” she says.

Here is Evelyne’s full written response:

To my family members, relatives, friends and fellow Kenyans at large, for once, I want to put this story to an end.

Being a victim of Garissa University college attack, which happened on 2nd April 2015, I am highly disappointed with several bloggers who have gone ahead and published a story a year after the attack using my pictures.

My pictures have been circulating in the social media that the KDF soldier who led me out of the scene eventually ended up marrying me. Personally, I am not married to anyone yet.

From early April this year, I have been receiving calls from friends and relatives who are always seeking clarification on whether am married or not to the KDF guy.

It has not been easy for me for the past one month to handle such situation because many Kenyans tend to believe what they read on the social media.

The lady who got married is Maureen Manyengo who is a colleague and the pictures doing round the social media is mine and not hers

The authors of these stories have used my pictures instead of the picture of the lady that married the KDF soldier.

Please bloggers, spare me all the trouble that you are causing me. Am very disappointed. It’s my humble prayer that this will not happen again.

Please do not believe such stories when you come across them and to those who have been calling me to inquire whether am married or not to the KDF soldier, now you know. Kenyan bloggers STYLE UP!!!

Lastly, I appreciate my family who has (sic) stood by me through thick and thin. I really appreciate your pieces of advice (sic) and company that you have accorded me even in trying moments. To my dear friends, thanks so much for being very understanding. Thank You

Evelyne Muthoni Mwai – Moi University