Cases of missing children continue to grip the nation, with Mukuru kwa Reuben, a sprawling informal settlement in Nairobi, emerging as one of the most troubling hotspots for the crisis.
In the latest case unfolded by TV 47, a grief-stricken family is searching for their six-year-old son, Lameck Wanjala, who vanished on January 6 this year. His father recalls that the boy disappeared in broad daylight.
“A neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous, reported seeing Lameck walking down the road with a man, assuming he was a relative,” the father said. “Later, we heard he was spotted in a local eatery.”
The eatery’s owner confirmed seeing the child that day. Back home, Lameck’s mother expressed her anguish over the uncertainty surrounding her son’s fate.
“We filed a report at the Mukuru kwa Reuben Police Station, but I feel the investigation has stalled,” she said. “Worse still, fraudsters targeted us, promising to return our son if we paid them.”
The family’s ordeal mirrors the pain of others in the area. Shantel’s mother, who lost her three-year-old daughter last year at around 6 p.m., remains haunted by unanswered questions.
“A suspect was taken to court, but I fear I may never see my daughter again,” she shared.
Yet in another case, the grandmother of Robert Kilonzo has endured three years without her grandson, who vanished while playing outside.
“The police reports have given us no solid leads, but I refuse to give up,” she said.
According to police data, the Rift Valley region leads in reported cases of missing children, followed by Nyanza, and Nairobi. At the county level, Nairobi ranks highest, with 311 cases reported this year alone.
Police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga says the numbers are rising daily, even with police intervention into the matter.
“We urge the public to work together to combat this crisis,” he said.
For the families of Mukuru kwa Reuben, the statistics are far more than numbers, they are the living reality of loss, fear, and an unrelenting hope that their children will one day be found.
