Family search for missing KWS ranger

Andrew Mwaka, 33, who family members say has been missing since January 27. [PHOTO: DANIEL NZIA/STANDARD]

By DANIEL NZIA

Makueni, Kenya: Cases of people disappearing in many parts of the country, sometimes without a trace, have continued to dominate newspaper pages in the recent past.

Many families have continued to live in agony following the disappearance of their kin often under mysterious circumstances.

One such family, that is yet to trace their kin, is that of Mzee Peter Mwaka from a remote village in Makueni County whose son disappeared in Nakuru town.

Mzee Mwaka says no one has heard from his 33-year-old son, Andrew Mwaka, since January 27 this year.

He said the family has been to hospitals and mortuaries in search of the young man who worked with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).

“The last three months have been a nightmare as we have tried to piece scanty information together in trying to determine what happened to Andrew,” Mwaka said.

He told The Standard that the last time he spoke to his son was on December 29, 2013 when he (Andrew) called to ask for a soft loan.

Mwaka said the matter has been reported to the CID office in Nakuru and KWS headquarters in Nairobi and appealed for haste in resolving this matter.

Ordinary Day

Andrew’s wife, Judy Njeri, said her husband left their Nakuru house in the morning of January 27 to report to KWS headquarters and has never returned.

She said Andrew had been transferred to Lamu and was supposed to report to his new station. “My husband was in a jovial mood when he left our Langa Langa Estate for Nairobi”, she told The Standard on telephone from Nakuru.

Njeri said she later talked to her mother-in-law that evening, who told her that she had spoken to Andrew and he had told he was back in Nakuru. Njeri said she got concerned when Andrew did not come home.

Police investigations revealed that Andrew last used his cell phone on January 27 at 8:30pm while at Langa Langa estate.

 “I have visited hospitals, mortuaries and police stations in search for my missing husband but it has been in vain,” she said.

Njeri said her greatest challenge has been answering questions her seven year old daughter, Angela Ndinda, has been asking over the disappearance of her father.

Njeri said it is unfortunate that she has received very little assistance from KWS.

“We visited their offices with my father-in-law and they promised to get in touch which they have not done to date,” she said.