City Tycoon Recounts Losing 2 Sons in Terror Attack

A city tycoon on Wednesday narrated the pain of losing two sons in the Dusit D2 Hotel terror attack in Nairobi.

Haji Yassin Jama, who is the proprietor of Kilimanjaro Jamia Hotel and affiliated chain of hotels, narrated to journalists how the two were gunned down at the facility.

"I had three men in the Dusit D2 Complex. My son called me telling me; 'Dad we are in trouble. Terrorists have attacked the premises'," he recounted.

Mzee Yassin indicated that about 10 minutes later, the son identified as Mohamud Yassin Jama called again telling him that he had managed to escape the attack.

The two others who used to work with Mohamud, however, were unlucky and were killed at the Secret Garden Cafe located on the ground floor of 14 Riverside Office Park.

"I am a Muslim born in North Eastern part of Kenya. Nimepoteza watoto na wakenya wengine pia wamepoteza wao na sisi wote tumepoteza kwa ajili ya hawa watu (I have lost my sons and other Kenyans have equally suffered due to terrorism)," he stated.

He further urged media and Kenyans to unite and shun blanket profiling of the Somali and Muslim community.

"Terrorist hana dini, rangi wala kabila Wengine wananiona wananiita terrorist… I am a victim of terrorism (Terrorists know no religion, race or tribe. Some see me and imagine I am a terrorist (because of my religion and origin). (Yet), I am a victim like everyone else.

"I have come to pick the bodies of the two lads who lost their lives in the incident," he stated outside Chiromo Funeral Parlour.

The man, who is a Kenyan of Somali descent, indicated that he was planning to inter the remains of the two on Wednesday according to the Muslim traditions.

Yassin took the opportunity to educate Kenyans that Islam is not synonymous with terrorism.

"There is nowhere in the Koran are we told to hate anyone based on their religion. Terrorists are not Muslims," he added.