“I won’t believe he’s gone until I see him”: Another family waits by Lake Nakuru for missing fisherman
Simon Mungai is currently being searched for by his family at Lake Nakuru National Park. He is believed to have been electrocuted by loose high-voltage power lines while illegally fishing in the lake.
Gazing across the vast waters of Lake Nakuru, Joyce Wambui and her husband John Njoroge cling to the painful hope that Simon Mungai’s body will finally surface.
Wambui says that she cannot come to terms with her brother’s disappearance until she has seen his body.
“Until I see him, I cannot believe my brother is dead,” she tells Mtaa Wangu.
The family from Naivasha has spent four agonising days since they learnt of him missing trying to find a way to search for Mungai’s body. The 35-year-old is believed to have died while illegally fishing in Lake Nakuru.
Joyce Wambui is at Lake Nakuru National Park following the disappearance of her brother, Simon Mungai, who went missing while out fishing.
It is still not yet clear exactly when Mungai went missing but according to the family his disappearance only came to light on Monday, when a relative contacted the family to ask about his whereabouts.
Wambui’s husband, Njoroge, says that fellow fishermen told them Mungai had entered the lake at night with another fisherman. Both men are believed to have died in the water.
However, only one body has been retrieved so far; Mungai’s remains have yet to be found.
Njoroge, who lives in the Karai area of Naivasha Sub-County, says that the family travelled to Nakuru immediately after confirming that Mungai had not returned home. Upon arrival, they were referred to Bondeni Police Station, where they were informed that two fishermen had been involved in the incident.
John Njoroge talks about the difficulties his family is facing as they try to raise funds for the search for Simon Mungai's body, which is believed to be in Lake Nakuru.
“He is my brother-in-law. After receiving this information, I called his wife, who confirmed that he had not come back. We came straight here and have been waiting ever since, hoping his body will be recovered,” says Njoroge.
He says that Mungai has been involved in fishing since a young age, starting out by repairing nets at Lake Naivasha while still at school.
Although he once considered dropping out in Form Four, he returned to complete his studies under pressure from his family. After school, however, he embraced fishing as a livelihood.
Despite repeated warnings from his relatives about the dangers of illegal fishing, Mungai persisted in the trade. He leaves behind a wife and three young children.
High-voltage power lines in Lake Nakuru. Simon Mungai went missing while fishing, and his companion's body has since been retrieved from the lake. They were reportedly electrocuted by a submerged power line.
"This trade did not improve his life. He was arrested several times, paid fines, and yet he still went back. Now it has ended tragically. Many young people are trapped in illegal fishing because it requires no investment, but it is extremely risky and deadly,” he notes.
Wambui is appealing for help to recover Mungai’s body. She says they need Sh30,000 to hire two boats and divers to aid in the search.
"It is devastating knowing he is gone, yet we cannot even find his body. We are stranded here with his wife and children. The pain is unbearable,' she says, adding that Mungai was the sixth child in a family of eight.
Lake Nakuru National Park Assistant Director, Emmanuel Koech, during an interview.
Lake Nakuru National Park Assistant Director Emmanuel Koech confirmed that two individuals were involved in illegal fishing when the incident occurred, adding that one body had been retrieved on Wednesday with the assistance of park officers.
Mr Koech explained that rising water levels in the lake had submerged high-voltage power lines, leaving some wires dangerously close to the water's surface — a particular risk to night-time fishermen.
“Judging by the condition of the recovered body, electrocution is suspected, although investigations are still ongoing,” he says.
He notes that park authorities have increased patrols to combat illegal fishing and are continuing to engage with local communities through elders, youth leaders, Nyumba Kumi representatives, NGAO officers, and religious leaders to raise awareness of the dangers involved.
Mr Koech also warned that fish from Lake Nakuru are toxic and unsafe to eat, and urged the public to stay away from the protected area.
Joyce Wambui, her husband John Njoroge, and Lake Nakuru National Park Assistant Director Emmanuel Koech are standing where Simon Mungai and his companion are believed to have been fishing.
"This year alone, we have retrieved the bodies of more than six illegal fishermen from the lake. Most of them were young people aged between 18 and 25. We continue to support families during the recovery process, but the public must understand that this is a protected area and it is extremely dangerous to fish here,” he says.