Kenya Forest Service seeks public help after senior manager goes missing
By Mustafa Juma, June 16, 2026The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has issued a public appeal for information after one of its senior staff members, Esther Wairimu Keige, went missing under unclear circumstances.
In a missing person notice released on Monday, June 15, 2026, the agency called on members of the public to assist in tracing the whereabouts of the senior official, who serves as manager of legal services at KFS headquarters.
Public appeal for information
KFS urged anyone who may have seen or interacted with Keige to report to the nearest police station or contact designated phone numbers provided in the alert.
“We wish to notify the general public of the disappearance of our colleague, Ms Esther Keige. Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts is kindly requested to report to the nearest police station or contact the numbers provided below. Any information shared will be treated will be highly appreciated,” KFS stated.
The service also shared multiple emergency contact numbers for individuals with relevant information, as part of efforts to widen the search.
KFS did not provide additional details regarding the circumstances leading to her disappearance, and it remains unclear when she was last seen.
Kenyans have been urged to contact 0719 483 323, 0722 809 878, 0722 791 139, or 0700 012 803, should they have any information about Keige.
KFS has also asked members of the public to report any relevant information to the nearest police station.
Growing concerns
The disappearance of the senior legal officer has raised concern within the forestry agency, which plays a key role in the management and conservation of Kenya’s forest resources.
KFS has in recent years been involved in legal and policy matters related to forest protection, land use, and environmental enforcement, making the legal services department a critical arm of the institution.
Investigations are expected to continue as authorities work to establish the circumstances surrounding the case and ensure her safe return.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has also raised concerns over Keige’s disappearance, stating that she was last seen in the Juja area on June 10, 2026, and has not been seen or heard from since.
“The Law Society of Kenya has received a report of a missing member. We appeal to the public to assist in tracing Esther Wairimu Keige, Advocate, who has been reported missing and was last seen in the Juja area on 10th June 2026,” LSK President Charles Kanjama said in a post shared via his official X account on Monday, June 15, 2026.
“Every piece of information may prove critical. We urge colleagues, members of the public, and all relevant agencies to remain vigilant and to share any information that may assist in locating her safely. Kindly contact us via help@lsk.or.ke or call the numbers provided on the poster. Please share widely.”
The incident comes amid the rise in the number of missing persons, with authorities and human rights groups recording hundreds of unresolved missing persons cases spanning abductions and enforced disappearances.
Children are among the latest victims of disappearances, with Hanna Wendot Cheptumo, the Cabinet Secretary for Gender, Culture and Children Services, urging Kenyans to report missing children cases immediately, warning that delays in reporting could hinder rescue efforts and put children at greater risk.