KDF soldier declared dead but his phone still rings

Tuesday February 23, 2016

Corporal Musa Choge

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The family of a soldier who went missing after the attack on the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) in El Adde, Somalia, had hoped that he was still alive.

After all, his phone was still on and was being answered by people they believed to be his captors. So for a month and one week after the attack, the hope of the family in Eldoret had been hinged on the ringing phone. Recently, the family used a translator to communicate with a person who answered the phone but only spoke in Somali.

They managed to converse for an hour. But last Friday, their hope was dashed after they received devastating news from KDF that the gallant soldier – Corporal Musa Choge – was dead. “Our hopes had been high because of the ringing phone. We thought he had been captured by the enemy in Somalia and maybe one day, he would be set free,” said James Seurei, Corporal Choge’s younger brother.

He said KDF officers called last Friday informing them that DNA samples taken from the family had matched that of a body.

“After the El Adde attack, my aunt Hellen Limo, my sister-in-law (Choge’s wife) and I reported my brother missing at Moi Barracks, Eldoret. Limo was called last Friday and informed that Choge was dead,” Mr Seurei told The Standard on telephone yesterday. He said his brother was in the 9th Kenya Rifles (KR).

“We are surprised that to date, his phone is still ringing. We called on Saturday and the recipient who is not well-conversant in English just repeatedly stated that the line’s owner was dead,” said Seurei. Rael Simotwo, Choge’s wife, said they have been in the dark for over a month in regard to his whereabouts. During a recent interview at their home at Maili Nne, Uasin Gishu County, anxiety was written on the faces of family members who were clinging on hope of the ringing phone.

“I called my brother’s number a day after the attack and it was on. I kept calling but no one was picking. At one point, somebody received the call but there was no voice from the other end. I could only hear commotion in the background,” Seurei said then.

He went on: “The line later went off but after another attempt, it was answered and the speaker spoke in Somali. I tried to engage him in English and Swahili but we could not communicate. I hang up.

” They later called and spoke through a translator. The person on the other end asked why the family allowed the soldier to go to war in Somali. They then ended the conversation abruptly when the family kept asking if he was alive.

Choge had earlier served for one year in a peacekeeping mission in South Sudan between 2005 and 2006. He enlisted in army 22 years ago had also served in Operation Linda Nchi. Choge was part of the team that liberated Kismayu. The last time he was home was October 2015, before he was deployed to Mandera. He then proceeded to El Adde in December.

Seurei said the family plans to travel to Nairobi Wednesday adding that the burial has been set for Friday in Trans Nzoia County. The soldier is survived by four children – two in high school and two in primary school.

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