Feature: Pain for families for with missing students in Kenya attack

Anguish has gripped families that had their sons and daughters studying at Garissa University College in Kenya, where 147 people were killed and many injured on Thursday by Al-Shabaab militants.

One such a family is that of Sanuti Barasa Waswa and Rosina Nafuna Wanda, who are yet to trace their 22-year-old daughter Selpha Wanda who was a third year at the university.

Waswa said on Friday that they last saw their daughter in September 2014 when she left home for college.

"She called me two weeks ago to find out how we are faring on and even assured me that she would visit home when the semester ends," said Waswa, her foster father, who lives in Kakamega County, western Kenya.

Nafuna who was too traumatized said she was travelling to Nairobi by road to know the whereabouts of her third born daughter.

"I'm on my way to Chiromo Mortuary to check the bodies if my daughter is there," Nafuna said in a phone interview.

The widow said she had banked all her hopes in her daughter and even sold a parcel of land to ensure that she went through education.

"Selpha did not disappoint me when she sat her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education. She became the second girl in her school with a mean grade of B+ (plus). I hope my daughter is alive wherever she is," Nafuna said.

Selpha was a third year student studying Bachelor of Education, Arts.

Maureen Oduor, a journalism student in Kisumu is however thankful to God that her boyfriend who was studying at Garissa University managed to escaped from the terrorists who raided the institution on Thursday dawn.

"I want to thank God that my boyfriend is alive. He managed to escape from the institution's compound after hearing gunshots. He sustained minor injuries though while trying to escape," she said.

A Swahili message written by a female student of Garissa University to her boyfriend went viral on social media with users condemning the attack.

The message by Janet Akinyi to her boyfriend read, "Aki beb wanakuja huku sisi ndiyo next kwani huko nje kuko aje KDF hawako huku aki please waambie tunauliwa aki wakuje watusaidie beb incase nikose kukuona tena jusust know I will always love aki beb, bye."

(Baby, they are coming for us, we are next, where are the Kenya Defence Forces team to help us we are going to be killed. If we don't see each other baby know that I love you so much. Bye). Endi