Puzzle as six men vanish without trace

When best friends Fahmi Bakari, 21, and Hussein Mohammed, 26, left their Kisauni home in Mombasa last Sunday, they had big dreams.

The two had accompanied Mr Bakari Masuo, 51, to buy a matatu in Thika and Limuru towns in Kiambu County.

However, according to the men’s relatives, they did not buy the matatu after realizing it had engine problems and opted to travel back to Mombasa.

However, they did not reach their destination.

Their vehicle, a Toyota Crown Royal, was found abandoned in Mariakani near a mosque on the Mombasa-Nairobi highway and the whereabouts of the three are unknown.

Their mobile phones have also been switched off since Sunday when they were travelling back to Mombasa.

Mr Masuo is a businessman in the transport sector while Mr Mohammed manages matatus in Kisauni. Mr Bakari is a tout.

The Nation learnt that Mr Masuo has a pending case in court for drug trafficking. He is out on bond and has been arrested three times over trafficking in drugs.

“Mr Masuo owns another matatu. He wanted Hussein to be the new manager of his matatu. Fahmi and Hussein were to come back driving the matatu while their boss drove back in his private car,” revealed Mr Bakari’s elder brother, Athman Bakari.  

Tracing the missing men

The families suspect their relatives were abducted and have reported the case to the Dog Section in Mombasa and at the Voi police station in Taita Taveta County.

“My son Hussein is an obedient boy and loved by many people. I know my son, he was just starting his life in the matatu business. He is a well-known person and I doubt he would engage in any criminal activity” said his mother, Ms Zahra Omar.

Mr Mohammed's wife, Ms Asli Issack, urged the security agencies to help trace the men.

“Hussein left home with the two on Friday at around 10pm to go to purchase a vehicle. My husband met Mr Masuo recently because he deals in the matatu business and wanted him to be his manager,” said Ms Isaack.

“When they left, he would inform me about the journey’s progress. But on Sunday at around 11am, he called me to tell me they had reached Mariakani and I should prepare him some snacks, only for his phone to be switched off at around noon.”

She thought it was poor connectivity, but when her husband’s two colleagues could not also be reached on phone, she became worried.

She went to Mr Masuo’s house to check whether they had arrived.

“But the wife told me she wasn’t aware they were travelling back. We went to Mr Hussein’s father to make search arrangements. At Mariakani police station the police told us they were unaware about them,” she said.

But on the Mombasa-Nairobi highway, they found the vehicle their three relatives were travelling in abandoned.

Whereabouts remain unknown

The vehicle had been parked at Maungu, near a mosque. It was intact, and inside was foodstuff and shopping the men had bought along the highway.

“But there was no trace of them. To date, we don’t know their whereabouts. We don’t know whether they have been abducted by the state machinery, enemies, or criminals. Please return them safely.

This is the fifth day, we don’t know whether they are dead or alive,” said Ms Isaack.

The distraught families said they have had sleepless nights worrying about their vanished relatives.

Human rights activist Alexander Mbela urged police to unravel the disappearances.

Recently, human rights groups lamented the worsening state of security, increased cases of extrajudicial killings, abductions, enforced disappearances and gender-based violence ahead of the 2022 General Election.

Under the Police Reforms Working Group Kenya, the human rights organisations comprising legal entities, social justice centres and women’s organisations said there were 39 cases of extrajudicial killings and 47 enforced disappearance recorded since January this year. 

Elsewhere, three people from Likoni have also been allegedly abducted.

Mr Saidi Mohamed Abdi alias Shwazi, his friend Rashid Said alias Dagy and Mr Omar Mohammed have been missing since December 3.

Abandoned vehicle

They had left their homes in a private vehicle destined for Kwale. Their vehicle was later found abandoned at Samburu market on the Mombasa-Nairobi highway.  

Sources revealed a major anti-drug trafficking operation in the Coast region led to the arrest of some suspects.

But when asked, Coast regional police commandant Manase Musyoka said he would get back to the Nation.

“I will give details later, I have been attending a security seminar since morning,” said Mr Musyoka.

Separately, suspected drug dealer Bosire Nyaigoti Makori who has been on the run, was on Monday night gunned down by unknown people outside his Diani home in Kwale County.

The 41-year-old was shot at around 8.30pm as he entered his compound in the Ngerenya area.

Detectives have launched investigations into the Monday night shooting, which was reported by the deceased’s younger brother, Mwaniki Makori Nyaigoti.

According to OB No. 89/06/12/2021, the unknown assailants shot Makori several times, killing him on the spot.

Scene of crime police arrived and found an orange carrier bag containing about three kilos of brown and white substances suspected to be narcotic drugs.

Additional reporting by Brian Wachira