Two weeks ago. Too terrified. Noon terror.

Soon unforgettable. Bloody Westgate.

...it’s really difficult to commentate on such a terrifying occurrence. But difficult too to let go without some form of commentary.

Noon September 21 2013 and the newsroom is not buzzing at all. Saturdays are rarely stuffy with assignments. This wasn't different. In fact it was a bit freer. No serious bookings. Nothing newsy—only trying to mine some stories from past events for the next days' analytical newspaper.

Suddenly at noon, TV stations suspend the day’s programming to provide a live feed from Westgate Shopping Mall. At first it wasn't live. At first it was only terrified callers expressing their fears to anchors who were now overseeing the breaking story.

No one is still interested even as some newscasters try as much to relay the intensity and the weight of the attack.

Twitter is presently abuzz with postings on "have heard gunshots at Westgate" and similar information. Nothing big yet.

Things move fast and soon cameras are on the scene and first live pictures are broadcast. The weight, gravity of the siege begins to sink and the newsroom divorce other things to get glued to the TV sets. 

It’s all of a sudden buzzy around: trying to reach out to witnesses, contacting government officials to painting the scene for readers. 

Confusion reigned. Pandemonium was the order of the moment after it became clearer that terrorists had descended on the Mall and were butchering people without fear or interest to stop the scary habit. 

Later that evening, government officers appeared more confused than anyone. If not contradicting statements on twitter, facebook then they were holding press briefings at different places at the same time. The ministry of Interior and National Coordination was the main culprit. When PS Mutea Iringo was addressing a Press Conference at Harambee House, Cabinet Secretary Joseph Ole Lenku, Kimaiyo et al were doing the same at Westgate. Additionally, State House press was also speaking to the media. 

The confusion aside and the magnitude of the heinous incident was really felt the following day when shock was replaced by the reality that suicidal terrorists were holding innocent people inside the mall and security officers were yet to find any breakthrough in rescuing them, when it became real that some terrorists had entered a busy mall and indiscriminately sprayed bullets at people killing dozens and injuring many others.