By Our Reporter
A CCTV recording has become the focus of investigations into the disappearance of six-year-old Shantel Nekesa, whose family in Sagana, Kirinyaga County, has spent weeks searching for answers after she vanished under mysterious circumstances.
The footage, captured outside a roadside shop near the village centre, shows Shantel walking hand in hand with an unidentified man shortly before she disappeared. Investigators believe the recording could provide vital clues as they work to establish the man’s identity and trace the child’s whereabouts.
According to the CCTV timestamp, the pair arrived at the shop at around 6:16 p.m. The man is seen purchasing cakes for the young girl before calmly leading her away. Witnesses said nothing about the interaction appeared unusual enough to raise alarm at the time.
Shop owner Madeline Njoki, who served the two, said she had never seen the man before.
“I didn’t recognise him, and his face was fully covered. After leaving the shop, he walked towards the upper road,” she recalled.
Police are now appealing to members of the public who may recognise the man or have information about his movements to come forward, saying even seemingly minor details could prove significant to the investigation.
For Shantel’s family, the search has become an agonising wait.
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Her mother, Cynthia Wambui, says the day began like any other. After preparing Shantel for school, she left home to take her younger child to hospital for treatment, never imagining that her eldest daughter would disappear before she returned.
Later that day, she received distressing news from neighbours who reported seeing Shantel with an unfamiliar man. According to Wambui, the man reportedly told those who questioned him that he was taking the child to buy a book.
Since then, there has been no confirmed sighting of the six-year-old.
Holding onto hope, Wambui has made an emotional appeal for her daughter’s safe return.
“I just want to see my daughter alive. I want her to come back home. She is only six years old,” she said.
The disappearance has prompted concern throughout the Sagana community, with residents joining search efforts and urging parents and guardians to remain vigilant, especially when children are travelling to and from school.
The case also reflects a broader child safety challenge in Kenya. Official figures from the Ministry of Gender, Culture and Children’s Services indicate that thousands of children have been reported missing across the country in recent years, highlighting the importance of community vigilance and swift reporting whenever a child cannot be accounted for.
As investigations continue, authorities are urging anyone who recognises the man captured on CCTV or has information about Shantel Nekesa’s disappearance to contact the nearest police station immediately. Detectives believe that one crucial tip could help bring the young girl home safely.
