Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has urged the government to offer compensation and long-term support to survivors of the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombing in Nairobi, saying many continue to suffer in silence, decades after the tragedy. Her appeal came as the country marked the 27th anniversary of the deadly attack on Thursday, August 7.

The bombing, orchestrated by the al-Qaeda terrorist network, killed 218 people, injured over 5,000, and left thousands with permanent disabilities and emotional trauma.

Most of the victims were Kenyan civilians caught in the blast after a truck bomb exploded outside the U.S. Embassy building, flattening nearby structures in Nairobi’s Central Business District.

“While the world moved on, the survivors are still living with the consequences many in silence, many in suffering,” Passaris told Parliament. She described her recent interaction with survivors during the anniversary commemoration, saying their stories laid bare the continued neglect they face. “I listened to Douglas, who lost his sight; Beatrice, who lost her husband; and Macharia, who lost both parents. Their stories are not just heartbreaking they demand action,” she said.

Passaris decried the lack of justice, recognition, and compensation for survivors, noting that despite the scale of the attack, many have been excluded from available support frameworks, including the U.S. victims’ compensation fund, which largely benefits American citizens.

She said it was time the Kenyan government stepped in to acknowledge and assist its own affected citizens.

She revealed that survivors are now seeking a direct audience with President William Ruto and relevant government bodies to raise their long-standing concerns, which include access to quality healthcare, education, psychosocial support, and sustainable economic livelihoods.

The Nairobi MP appealed to the Speaker of the National Assembly and House leadership to facilitate this engagement, saying the survivors deserve more than symbolic remembrance. “Government support must go beyond symbolic gestures; it must be structured, sustained, and dignified,” Passaris said.

Her remarks have reignited debate around Kenya’s response to one of the deadliest terrorist attacks on its soil, with many lawmakers agreeing that survivors should not be left behind in the nation’s collective memory.