While Kenyans celebrated “Mashujaa” Day, residents of Elgeyo Marakwet celebrated the little girl who saved 140 students from Pokot Bandits.
The girl named Sylvia Cheptowot, was on among the three buses that thugs attacked on 17 February 2022 as they were returning to school from an educational tour.
That day Bandits opened fire on the school bus they were on and killed one driver while leaving several students seriously injured.
“Wanafunzi wenzangu walijeruhiwa. Mimi nilipigwa risasi miguu yote miwili, na mguu wangu mmoja ukavunjika,” the girl said in an interview with Citizen TV.
Despite being injured and bleeding, the 16-year-old Tot High School student told the thugs in Pokot that:
‘Sisi ni wanafunzi kutoka Shule ya Upili ya Tot, msituue,”
The brave words convinced the assailants and they escaped after realizing that the students were also from Pokot.
The incident however left her with a leg injury and she now uses crutches. The injuries that caused her to stay in hospital for three months and resulted in her undergoing surgery to remove the bullet stuck in her leg.
Cheptowot was among the 230 national heroes recognized on Mashujaa ‘ Day.
