This archive report was first published on 19 July 2021.
On a sunny day in Kiplokyi, Bomet Central, 60-year-old Linner Byegon sat pensively outside her semi-permanent house, gazing at the sky as if searching for answers about her missing son, Kenneth.
When Kenneth secured a job in Mombasa last year, his mother celebrated, hoping he would help make ends meet. However, her joy turned to despair after Kenneth disappeared four months ago.
Ms Byegon, a single mother of four, said Kenneth had been jobless since March 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country. She has had many sleepless nights, praying that her second-born son returns home safely.
According to Walter Ngeno, Kenneth's firstborn brother, days before his disappearance, Kenneth confided in him that his life was in danger. They last heard from Kenneth on February 24.
Walter said Kenneth had been hiding for three days to escape and return home, but he never made it. On the day he went missing, Kenneth called Walter, requesting that he urgently send him fare to board a bus to Nairobi, as he was being pursued by people who wanted to kill him.
Walter has been camping in Mombasa, trying to trace his brother's last steps. He has filed a missing person report at Makupa police station, but the family suspects Kenneth may have been abducted.
Published on July 19, 2021.
