Samwel Macharia, a 35-year-old veteran mountain guide, has vanished without a trace while leading two Japanese tourists on a climb up Mount Kenya via the Sirimon route. His brother reported the incident immediately upon reaching camp and realizing Macharia was missing. Rescue teams continue searches with no results so far.
The family of Samwel Macharia in Katheri Village, Meru County, is enduring deep anguish nearly two weeks after his unexplained disappearance on Mount Kenya. The 35-year-old experienced guide vanished suddenly while working as a porter alongside his brother during an expedition with two Japanese tourists on the Sirimon route. His personal items were later found along the path, heightening concerns.
"We were together, and suddenly he disappeared. I have tried to look for him on this mountain for about three trips but I still haven't seen him," his brother said.
A relative highlighted the baffling circumstances, noting that climbers do not typically abandon a team member unnoticed. "We can't say how he disappeared because when we climb a mountain, you can just leave someone behind, but when people were arriving at the camp, Macharia was not part of the entire team," the relative explained.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has initiated an investigation, though they confirmed Macharia was not among their staff. Duncan Wanyama, KWS Communication Officer, stated, "These community guides are trained and vetted to ensure they meet our safety standards while providing authentic local experiences to visitors."
A coordinated search involving KWS, police, and other entities is ongoing. This incident adds to a troubling pattern of disappearances among guides and rangers in Kenya's protected areas. In 2020, guide Joseph Mwangi and three university students went missing in Aberdare Forest and were found alive. In August 2021, senior ranger Francis Isaac Awuor Oyaro vanished while on leave from Marsabit National Park, last seen in Nanyuki en route to Nakuru.
