Kenya Commemorates 25th Anniversary of U.S. Embassy Bombing, Calls for Compensation

Wednesday August 9, 2023

In Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, the nation observed the 25th anniversary of the devastating bombing of the U.S. Embassy, demanding compensation from the U.S. government. The Chairperson of the Senate Ad Hoc Committee, Agnes Kavindu, emphasized that the majority of the victims were innocent Kenyans and stressed that the compensation for these victims has been unjustly delayed for too long.

Back on August 7, 1998, a horrific terrorist attack targeted the U.S. embassy in Nairobi, claiming 213 lives and leaving more than 5,000 people injured. Kavindu mentioned that her committee, comprised of nine members, is planning a trip to the United States in September. Their objective is to meet with U.S. Senate members and request amendments to the legislation that currently excludes compensation for Kenyan victims of terrorist attacks aimed at Americans.

Caroline Muthoka, an international convener of the Consortium of the Aug. 7, 1998 Victims Association, described the commemoration as a means to garner support for compensation. The event included lighting candles and laying flowers on the former site of the U.S. embassy building.

Furthermore, Muthoka emphasized that the U.S. government has only compensated American citizens, employees, and third-party contractors affected by the bombing. On August 7, 1998, simultaneous truck bomb explosions orchestrated by an al-Qaida affiliated terror group targeted the U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. These attacks claimed the lives of over 224 individuals (213 in Kenya and 11 in Tanzania) and left more than 5,000 others injured.

The United States government attributed the attacks to Osama bin Laden, the former leader of al-Qaida, who was killed by U.S. forces in 2011.