One week after veteran guide Samwel Macharia vanished near Shiptons Camp on Mount Kenya, his family from Nanyuki is urging government intervention amid suspicions of altitude cerebral edema (HACE). Kenya Wildlife Service has launched a search, but no trace has been found of the 35-year-old despite his abandoned items.
Macharia disappeared on December 23, 2025, while guiding two Japanese tourists with four other guides, including his brother Daniel Kagwaini, via the Sirimon route. The group reached Shiptons Camp after a seven-hour trek from Nanyuki when his absence was noticed. Kagwaini, who has worked with his brother for years, found no signs of illness but later discovered Macharia's national ID, phone, and food supplies neatly placed by the trail.
"I've searched more than three times without success," Kagwaini said.
The incident was reported to police in Chogoria and Timau. On January 5, aunt Lucy Kagwaini and relatives gathered mournfully at Old Moses Camp, overlooking the peak. "He's somewhere... We beg the government to help us," she pleaded.
The family suspects HACE caused disorientation, leading Macharia into dense forests, and hopes he may reach nearby villages alive. This follows initial reports of the baffling vanishing, with ongoing searches by KWS adding to efforts amid Mount Kenya's history of climber disappearances.
