Family in distress after kin goes missing in Kirinyaga

When a loved one goes missing, a family’s world stops. Days blur into nights, hope wavers, and every ring of the phone carries both fear and possibility. This is the reality that the family of Samuel Macharia, who was 29 years old at the time of his disappearance and is now 31, has been forced to live with since March 14th, 2024. For his brother, Ezra Munyua, the ache is constant, but so is the determination to keep searching.

“We are devastated to the point of giving up, but I refuse to lose hope. My brother has a four-year-old son who deserves to grow up knowing his father,” Ezra says, holding on to the belief that Samuel is somewhere, waiting to be found.

On the day he disappeared, Samuel had just returned home from Nairobi and was working on his portion of the family land. After a long, tiring day at the shamba, he was dressed casually, a half sweater, tracksuit pants, and floaters sandals, his clothes still dusty from farm work. In the afternoon, after lunch, he stepped out briefly to buy something from a nearby shop, a distance so short and familiar that he didn’t carry any of his belongings.

He left behind everything: his identification documents, his kabambe phone, and every personal item he owned.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, suggested he was planning to travel or stay away. Ezra recalls that there was no conflict, no tension, and no unusual conversations in the days leading up to his disappearance. “There was no bad blood with anyone. Everything was normal. Then… he just didn’t come back.”

In the months and now years that have followed, the family has searched everywhere imaginable. They have reported the case to DCI, visited hospitals and morgues, made radio announcements, and appealed to neighbours and community members. Each lead has ended in silence, each day a reminder of how fragile hope can feel. Yet Ezra insists they will not give up the search.

What he now wants most is for Kenyans to stand with them. His plea is heartfelt and urgent: help amplify Samuel’s story.

“Please, help us share Samuel’s poster. Help us reach more people. You never know who might have seen something,” he says.

This plea is not just about awareness, it is about keeping hope alive for a son who still asks for his father, and a family longing for even the smallest clue.

Samuel Macharia, born on 10th October 1994, is now 31 years old. He is of brown complexion and speaks Kikuyu, Swahili, and English. He was last seen in Kagio, Kirinyaga, after leaving for a nearby shop on March 14th, 2024, wearing casual home clothing.

Anyone with information, no matter how small or uncertain it may seem, is urged to contact the family on 0789 547 995, 0723 536 798, or 0721 566 227, or report to the nearest police station.

As Ezra says, “We beg anyone who sees this, help us spread the word. Help us bring Samuel home.”

Parents Magazine stands in solidarity with the family and calls on all Kenyans to share his story widely. Hope lives when a nation chooses to care.