A funeral was held in Cheleget Village, Bomet County, for Recce officer Bernard Tonui, who was killed during the rescue operation at Garissa University.
According to activist Boniface Mwangi, who attended the funeral, Tonui's death highlights the sacrifices made by police officers and the need for better compensation and support for their families.
Mwangi wrote:
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 electricity, 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 36,000 ($400). Police officers do not have life insurance and the medical cover they were supposed to get hasn’t been effected. Tonui meagre 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 6 pm. 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.
Tonui's daughter asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to end the war in Somalia. Tonui was the only officer killed in the Garissa terror attack, which also claimed the lives of over 300 students. He is survived by his wife and four children.
