A family in Nanyuki is struggling to come to terms with the disappearance of 35-year-old mountain guide Samuel Macharia, who went missing while leading a group of climbers on Mt Kenya on December 23, 2025.
Macharia, a veteran guide who began climbing the mountain at 20, was assisting two Japanese tourists and three other men on the Sirimon route when he disappeared.His family described the event as a shocking tragedy.
According to his colleagues, Macharia complained of fatigue during the climb and decided to take a short break on a rock, promising to catch up with the rest later.
When he failed to rejoin the group at Shipton’s Camp after nearly an hour, panic set in, and the team retraced their steps in a frantic search.
Over 17 days of searching have yielded no trace of the guide.
Personal items, including his wallet, national identity card, phone, and the food supplies he was carrying, were found along a footpath with no signs of struggle.Macharia’s elder brother, Daniel Kagwaini, said he followed what he believed were his sibling’s footsteps for five kilometres while calling his name but had to abandon the search after dusk.
He expressed doubt that Macharia would harm himself, suggesting he may have suffered cerebral oedema, a condition that can affect climbers at high altitude.
The family recalled a previous tragedy when another brother, Patrick Murithi, died in a climbing accident in 2021.
The Kenya Wildlife Service confirmed the disappearance, noting that initial aerial surveillance was hindered by bad weather and promising logistical support for continued searches.
The family plans to deploy a drone and continue searching with KWS rangers.
A cousin of Macharia highlighted the slow response of authorities and called for a specialised rescue team, noting the mountain attracts thousands of climbers annually and carries inherent dangers.
The fate of Samuel Macharia remains unknown, with friends and family hoping he may be found in one of the outlying villages after suffering from high-altitude complications.
By Nation