Police officers arrest a protester on Kimathi Street in Nairobi on 8 August 2024 during the Nane Nane demonstrations.
On the morning of June 25, the streets of Nairobi were ablaze with the fervour of anti-government protests—an outcry that would soon turn into chaos, and for one father, a day that would transform into an endless, harrowing search for his son.
For Joseph Adero, the days since that fateful morning have blended into a blur of anxiety and despair. His son, 30-year-old Charles Osewe, was among the many who took to the streets in the hope of voicing their frustrations and seeking justice.
Mr Osewe's voice was one among thousands, but to Mr Adero, it was the most precious one—a beacon of hope and pride that has now dimmed into a poignant void.
In the days following Charles' disappearance, Mr Adero and his family have been trapped in a relentless cycle of despair. They have scoured hospitals, police stations, and morgues, each visit ending with the same cold silence that only deepens their agony.
“I’ve been searching for my son tirelessly for the past six weeks. Each day, I wander through the corridors of City Mortuary and Kenyatta National Hospital, clinging to the faintest hope of finding some trace of him. He was vibrant and fearless, driven by a fervent desire for change. I never thought that his courageous pursuit of justice would lead to this—an unending nightmare from which we cannot wake,” he said.
Last conversation
Every morning for Mr Adero is a haunting echo of his last conversation with his son. He can still hear the urgency in his son's voice, his excitement about the political rally they had discussed. His heart aches as he remembers his desperate plea to his son not to go.
“I told him to stay home. I begged him, telling him that it was not safe out there. But his youthful conviction and a desire to be part of something greater won, as he brushed off my concerns,” he said.
The absence of his son is a void that grows deeper with each passing day. The once-familiar spaces in their home now feel emptier, filled with the silent echo of his son’s laughter and dreams. Each day without him is a reminder of the loss, the future that was stolen, and the hope that fades with every sunrise.
“If there are people detained somewhere, let them be known. If they are gone, let us bury them. They will always be our children,” he said.
The pain of his loss is compounded by the frustration of not knowing what happened.
“People shouldn’t just disappear like money or goats,” he says, tears welling in his eyes. “These are people, human lives,”
Shared grief
Mr Adero notes that the absence of concrete leads has left him grappling with a profound sense of helplessness. The search has not only strained his emotional and physical well-being but has also strained his family.
They are bound together by a shared grief and worry, clinging to one another for strength. Mr Adero's wife, who has been a pillar of support, now bears the weight of a fractured family unit, and a future clouded by sorrow.
In the absence of answers, Mr Adero has turned to faith, holding onto a fragile thread of hope that Charles is still out there.
“Every day feels like a lifetime, I wake up hoping to hear something—anything—that will tell me Charles is okay. But every day is a struggle, and the uncertainty is unbearable.
I need to find him, whether he is alive or not, I need to know. I need closure. I need to bring him home,” he added.
