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Writer's picturePeter Bishop

Campus students' party deaths: A society's desolate dirge for accountability and change

In the dark abyss of anguish, we mourn the tragic fate that befell Catherine Njeri, Adah Nyambura, Angeline Wangui and many others who don't make the news —bright stars, extinguished in the prime of their youth.


They were the innocent lambs, led astray by a society awash with negligence, indifference, and a deafening silence. As we stand amidst the wreckage of shattered dreams, our hearts bristle with an anguished fury, casting blame upon parents, entertainment joints, friends, and the apathetic guardians of law and order.


Oh, parents! We beseech you to awaken from your slumber of complacency! You were bestowed with the sacred duty to protect and guide your offspring, yet you allowed them to wander, unaware of the lurking dangers that awaited.


The flame of parental responsibility flickered, drowned in the torrents of apathy, leaving these young souls vulnerable to the temptations that proved fatal. A stern admonition hangs heavy in the air, urging you to reflect upon the shattered dreams of your children away from you who pay the price for your negligence.


Entertainment joints, masquerading as houses of mirth and revelry, have become gory arenas where innocence meets its gruesome end. The blood-stained floors bear witness to the decay of morality and the erosion of safety. How can we remain silent when these hallowed halls, cloaked in the darkness of neglect, claim the lives of our cherished youth?


The deafening silence echoes, an indictment of entertainment joint owners, whose insatiable greed devours the lives of our innocent lambs. They, too, must bear the weight of blame for the deaths of young students who are their frequent customers. is there a price to be paid for having fun?


But what of the friends? Those who walked hand in hand, laughing in the face of danger, oblivious to the precipice on which they danced. inviting each other over to reckless house parties and dangerous entertainment spots for the sake of fun but to later abandon their companions when danger looms.


Their laughter turned to ashes as they revealed in the tempest, abandoning their duty of guardianship. They, too, must confront the demons of remorse, knowing that their actions—or rather, inaction—led to the irrevocable loss of their companions. The spectre of guilt looms, a spectre that will forever haunt their souls.


But most importantly, we turn our gaze to the guardians of law and order—the police—who stand as silent sentinels, their presence but a hollow facade. They bear the burden of our rage, for their failure to enforce the law and protect the innocent while taking bribes from bar owners to help in covering up the crimes has allowed tragedy to fester unchecked.


Where is their duty, their commitment to safeguarding lives? We demand answers, we demand justice, for the lives so unjustly stolen from us. Let the fires of anger burn bright, illuminating their apathy and compelling them to face the consequences of their inaction.


In this mournful symphony of grief, we implore parents, entertainment joint owners, friends, and the police to confront the tempest of anger that rages within. Let this fury propel us towards a future where negligence, greed, and indifference find no harbor.


Let the names of Catherine, Adah, Angeline only but to mention a few forever echo in our ears as a reminder of our collective failure—a clarion call for change, for accountability, and for a society that cherishes and protects its youth.


May their lost dreams serve as a haunting elegy—a resounding cry that compels us to rise from the depths of despair and forge a safer, more responsible world. Only through unyielding anger and unwavering action can we honour the memories of those whose lives were extinguished too soon and ensure that no more innocent souls perish in the darkness of negligence and indifference.


Peter Bishop is a student of Journalism, in his 3rd year at Chuka University.


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