Nakuru residents shout in court to demand answers on missing fisherman Brian Odhiambo / ScreengrabTension ran high in Nakuru on Monday as angry residents disrupted court proceedings, demanding answers over the disappearance of 33-year-old fisherman Brian Odhiambo, who has been missing for nearly four months.
Odhiambo was last seen on January 18, 2025, when he was reportedly arrested by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers near Lake Nakuru National Park.
Since then, his whereabouts have remained unknown, sparking outrage and concern among the local community.
Outside the Nakuru Law Courts, Odhiambo’s family members and concerned residents gathered in protest, chanting and demanding action.
“Tunataka Brayo. Yuko wapi?” ("We want Brian. Where is he?") echoed through the courthouse halls as emotions ran high, with some family members seen weeping and being consoled.
Their anger was further fueled by a court ruling that released six KWS officers on a Sh100,000 cash bail each.
The officers had been charged with abduction with intent to secretly and unlawfully detain Odhiambo on the morning of his disappearance.
Human rights group Haki Africa criticized the decision. “We are extremely dissatisfied with the ruling,” said Executive Director Hussein Khalid.
“Brian remains missing for almost four months now, and yet again justice has been denied to Brian and his family.”
Odhiambo’s family says he was arrested on suspicion of trespassing in the protected park and later taken from his home in Manyani Estate, Nakuru East.
Since then, the family has searched hospitals, police stations, and mortuaries across the region, but with no success.
His disappearance has drawn national attention.
Vocal Africa, a local advocacy group, petitioned the Senate to form a special committee to investigate the case, along with the 2022 disappearance of another fisherman, Brian Stingo, under similar circumstances.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, speaking during a visit to Nakuru in March, assured the public that the government was committed to finding Odhiambo and holding those responsible to account.
His statement came after Odhiambo’s mother, Elizabeth Auma, made an emotional appeal during his speech.
“As a government, we will not allow a situation where a Kenyan goes missing without being accounted for,” Murkomen said.
“We are here to ensure lives are protected.”
The case continues to unfold as the community awaits further developments and hopes for closure.
