USING ICT IN SITUATIONS OF DISTRESS

Before the advent of Information and Communications technology style of sharing, emergency issues took too long to be communicated to those who needed them urgently. For instance, in case one died in Garissa in the 1970s such a person's death was communicated through police (telegraphic) signals  especially if the person was a government employee or a student of the University of Nairobi (the only university then)  probably on a field trip there. Once such information reached the headquarters in Nairobi, it would then be relayed to the Province and the District in that order until the next of kin (usually the wife who remained behind to care for the family as the man hunted for means of survival away from home) was informed. This as you can imagine, took quite some time and is a sensitive issue.
With technological advancement today, a terrorist attack at Garissa University College at dawn on 2nd April, became news immediately so much so that even as local media houses called it "Breaking News", many others already were aware and maintained a round the clock state of events record through whatsapp, facebook or twitter among other platforms. The painful face of this technological advancement is that the information so received is then not acted upon as quickly as relayed through technological affordability which is available. Is it possible that the distress call made through ICT can always be used to save lives and in good time? Then let us try our best in future moments of crises - not just terror attacks.
ICT can also help others not directly subdued the way our dear students were, to signal others to keep safe distance. I want to believe that some students are alive today because the selfless martyrs warned them against venturing into risky halls of massacre - as they themselves surrendered their all to the thugs.
Incase our parents who died in the 1990s wake up from their graves today and realize how quickly we can communicate with others even outside Kenya, they would not forgive us for not responding to our little ones' distress call that unfortunate Thursday morning.