Nandi Politician Shadrack Maritim/FILENandi politician Shadrack Maritim,
who had been reported missing since October, has resurfaced in Mbale, Uganda.
The new details have raised fresh questions about the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
According to the family’s lawyer, Kibe Mungai, Maritim contacted his relatives late Tuesday night, saying he had been abandoned near Mbale by his abductors.
“He sounded frightened and disoriented during the call,” Mungai told the High Court in Eldoret on Wednesday.
According to court recordings, the lawyer confirmed that Mairitim had reported to Mbale Police Station.
“Kibe Mungai, representing the petitioners, informed the court that the subject, Shadrack Maritim, was threatened but is alive and reportedly said, "wale wakora walinishika walinitupa Uganda,” the proceedings read.
He added that the politician’s ordeal appeared to be connected to previous threats and intimidation he had faced due to his political ambitions.
Mungai also told the court that he will speak to Maritim and take a convenient date for the mention of the case filed.
However, the opposing counsel opposed the suggestion, arguing that since the politician has been found, the petition has been overtaken by events.
“The petition will stop just because he has been released. We will pursue this to its logical conclusion,” Mungai countered, underlining broader concerns over the safety of citizens facing political intimidation.
He maintained that systemic issues demanded scrutiny.
“An emerging pattern of missing Kenyans mysteriously appearing near the Uganda border ahead of habeas corpus hearings is troubling. His appearance does not close the matter,” he said.
In its decision, the court indicated it wants to hear from Maritim.
The High Court in Eldoret set the matter for mention on December 10, 2025, emphasising the need for the petitioners to update the court on Maritim’s current status.
The court also directed Mungai to file a detailed affidavit outlining the circumstances of Maritim’s alleged abduction and subsequent disappearance.
Maritim’s family had filed the petition a week before his reappearance, seeking urgent clarification on his disappearance.
The case has since attracted attention from human rights advocates and political observers who point to a worrying trend of enforced disappearances ahead of elections, particularly in border areas.
Maritim vanished on October 27, after leaving his home in Unity Gardens Estate, Eldoret, for a morning jog.
His sudden disappearance prompted concern from family, friends, and political supporters, especially given the reported threats he received in 2023.
In early November, despite no confirmed sightings, his mobile phone remained active and was used to transfer funds and engage in online transactions.
Critical CCTV footage that initially captured his last known movements stepping onto the road for what appeared to be a routine jog mysteriously vanished, with authorities remaining elusive.
Detectives failed to secure the footage until nearly four days after his disappearance, raising concerns about procedural lapses.
In 2022, Maritim was abducted and later found in Bungoma County.
