Tragedy struck the Kenyan diaspora community after Edna Mmbali Ombakho, a Kenyan Master’s student in the United Kingdom, was found dead two weeks after being reported missing.
The 30 year old, who was pursuing her MSc at York St John University’s London campus, disappeared on February 1, 2026, while living in Wraysbury, Berkshire. Her family, based in Kitale, Trans Nzoia County, raised the alarm after failing to reach her, describing her sudden disappearance as highly unusual.
According to reports, Edna left her residence to go for a walk but never returned. At the time, she was reportedly wearing a khaki long coat with a fur-lined hood, knee high boots, and glasses. Concerned friends and relatives launched urgent searches and widely circulated her photographs online, appealing to the public for any information about her whereabouts.
Human rights groups, including HAKI Africa, also joined the calls, urging anyone with information to contact UK authorities. The Kenyan diaspora expressed growing anxiety as days passed without news, fueling fears for her safety.
After two weeks of uncertainty, authorities confirmed the heartbreaking discovery of Edna’s body in a river on March 8, 2026. The news left family, friends, and the wider Kenyan community devastated, who had been holding onto hope that she would be found alive.
Friends and associates remembered Edna as a dedicated, hardworking, and focused student, committed to achieving her academic goals abroad. Her untimely death has raised concerns about the safety and welfare of Kenyans living and studying overseas.
UK authorities have confirmed that investigations into the circumstances surrounding Edna’s death are ongoing. Further details about what happened before her body was discovered have not yet been released.
Her family in Kitale is now preparing for the painful process of grieving after weeks of uncertainty, while the Kenyan community mourns the loss of a promising young scholar.