On the morning of January 15, 2025, Ms Lucy Koskei called her son Tom Kibet, 24, as she usually did to check on his welfare.
Kibet had rented a house in Mpeketoni Town, about six kilometres from his parents’ home in Hongwe-Msefuni village in Lamu County. After a brief five-minute conversation, Ms Koskei hung up, unaware that it would be the last time she would speak to her firstborn.
During the call, Kibet requested Sh300 from his mother to buy lunch, explaining that he had been suspended from his casual job in Mpeketoni Town.
Ms Koskei sent him Sh80 via M-Pesa and promised to continue supporting him even as Kibet assured her that he was doing well.
Later that day, her firstborn son would go missing. At around 8pm, Ms Koskei received an unusual phone call from a local administrator informing her that her son had disappeared.
According to the administrator, Kibet and two colleagues were crossing the Indian Ocean by canoe to the Kizuke site to harvest mangroves when the vessel capsized.
The two friends reportedly swam to safety, but Kibet drowned, and his body could not be recovered.
The account immediately raised suspicion for Ms Koskei as her son had never been a swimmer or engaged in mangrove harvesting or any other ocean-related activity.
“The chief told me that my son had gone to harvest mangroves with two other men in Kizuke. The canoe capsized around 11 am on January 15, and the two companions survived. But why wait until 8 pm to inform me? I became suspicious,” she said.
Lucy Koskei, 42, says she believes there is foul play surrounding her son's whereabouts.
The following morning, Ms Koskei embarked on a mission to search for her son’s body around Kizuke. Despite hiring boats and enlisting local rescue teams, the search was unsuccessful. Lamu rescue teams conducted search-and-recovery operations but called them off after seven days.
Suspicion deepened when one of the alleged survivors was found in possession of Kibet’s belongings, including the clothes he had worn that day, a bicycle and a purse containing important documents, including his National Identity Card.
The family reported the matter to the police, only to be told that the case was already under investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). The man was interrogated and released days later without further updates to the family.
Eight months later, Kibet’s whereabouts remain unknown. Ms Koskei believes her son did not drown but was murdered and buried in secret. She is appealing to the government to intervene and help uncover the truth.
Her son, she says, was humble, peace-loving and had never been involved in any criminal activity. The ongoing uncertainty has also taken a toll on her health. Ms Koskei has been in and out of hospitals in Mpeketoni and Lamu Island, battling diabetes and chronic hypertension.
“As a peasant farmer, the anxiety over my son’s unknown whereabouts has prevented me from working on my farm this year. I am scheduled to undergo two operations this week. Before Kibet’s disappearance, my health was stable. I became hypertensive and diabetic. I attribute this to the stress of his disappearance,” she said.
Kibet’s father, Michael Kiprono Koskei, a mason, has also been unable to work, consumed with worry about his firstborn. Despite searching the ocean, mortuaries and police stations across Lamu County and beyond, nothing has been found.
“I don’t think our son drowned as claimed. We believe those who were with him know the truth and must be held accountable. We camped at Kizuke for over 10 days searching for him without success. We have also shared his contacts widely across Lamu, hoping anyone with information would come forward. Still, nothing,” Mr Kiprono said.
Kibet was born on January 16, 2001, in Hongwe-Msefuni Village, Mpeketoni Division, Lamu West Sub-County. He attended Kilimani Primary School before joining Lake Kenyatta Secondary School. Four years ago, he dropped out while in Form Two due to financial constraints and has since been working menial jobs in Mpeketoni Town.
Lamu County Police Commander Kipsang Changach confirmed awareness of the case, stating that investigations are ongoing and urging patience.
“I am aware. The Kizuke case was initially treated as a drowning incident, but if other issues are involved, we shall investigate further,” said Mr Changach.
Ms Koskei and her family continue to appeal to the government and the public for assistance in tracing Kibet, whether alive or dead.
