NAIROBI, Kenya- A Mother’s Day tribute by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), featuring a lioness with her cubs and other wildlife animals, was met with a wave of public outcry as Kenyans flooded the comments section demanding answers about the disappearance of 31-year-old fisherman Brian Odhiambo.
Odhiambo vanished on January 18, 2025, after allegedly being apprehended by KWS officers at Lake Nakuru National Park for illegal fishing.
Do you see any happiness with this mother?
Witnesses, including his mother, Elizabeth Auma, reported seeing him being forcibly taken into a KWS vehicle.
KWS officers later claimed that the individual they arrested escaped custody after requesting to relieve himself, a narrative widely disputed by the community.
The incident sparked widespread protests in Nakuru, with demonstrators setting parts of Lake Nakuru National Park ablaze and clashing with security forces.
The unrest led to several students from Kimathi Secondary School being hospitalized due to teargas exposure.
Where’s Brian Odhiambo??? @kipmurkomen the false hope you gave this mother was/is irresponsible of you. That was just a photo opp. This Mother’s day will be the 1st without her son 💔
In response to the public outcry, KWS appealed for calm and stated that officers involved had recorded statements with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
However, the High Court in Nakuru dismissed the case, citing insufficient evidence that Odhiambo was in KWS custody.
The ruling prompted emotional scenes in the courtroom, with Odhiambo’s family expressing deep dissatisfaction and calling for justice.
Human rights organizations, including the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), have condemned the handling of the case, labeling Odhiambo’s disappearance as an enforced disappearance and a gross violation of constitutional rights.
KNCHR has urged the DCI and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to expedite investigations and provide transparent updates to the public.
Happy Mother’s Day from all of us at KWS! #wildlylimitless #mothersday