Couple who disappeared in Mt Kenya could have been on suicide mission, warden says

Musician Dennis Kirimi (left), 22, and his girlfriend Yvonne Mwenda, 21, a student at Kirinyaga Technical University. The two disappeared two weeks ago in the Mt Kenya national park and there are fears they could have been on a suicide mission. PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • It is suspected that they were on a mission to end their lives when they entered the national park on September 30.
  • Gitau added that the couple may have deliberately gone missing as opposed to (accidentally) getting lost.
  • Their relatives reported their disappearance at the Timau and Kirinyaga police stations respectively, prompting the search.
  • The search teams include security officers drawn from various sectors and mountaineers on foot and helicopters from the Nanyuki-based Tropic Air.

Search and rescue teams have been combing Mt Kenya in search of a young couple who disappeared there two weeks ago, with fears they could have been on a suicide mission.

It is suspected that Dennis Kirimi, 22, a musician, and his girlfriend Yvonne Mwenda, 21, a student at Kirinyaga Technical University, were on a mission to end their lives when they entered the national park on September 30.

Senior warden Simon Gitau said the two switched off their phones after entering the mountain through Sirimon Gate in Meru County without a tour guide.

They were last seen at St Moses camp.

“The lady left a note at her university hostel saying that people should not search or worry [about] them as they have gone to a better and a happier place. She asked a fellow student to give the note to her mother,” Mr Gitau said.

He added that the couple may have deliberately gone missing as opposed to (accidentally) getting lost.

A CAMERA AND THREE BANANAS

According to Mr Gitau, the couple had only a camera and three bananas for food as theirs was supposed to be one day’s trip.

They had hired a taxi for Sh6,000 but had given the driver only Sh2,000 as deposit.

The driver waited for them at St Moses camp until late in the evening.

“When it started getting late the driver switched on the car’s headlights hoping that they would be able to trace his location but they never turned up,” Mr Gitau said.

Their relatives reported their disappearance at the Timau and Kirinyaga police stations respectively, prompting the search.

They have been in contact with the rescue team since then.

The search teams include security officers from various sectors and mountaineers on foot and helicopters from the Nanyuki-based Tropic Air.

“The area [around] where they disappeared has a good mobile phone network which indicates that the disappearance could have been deliberate or they could have emerged out of the national park secretly.

“It could be a well-planned disappearance,” Mr Gitau said.

An acclaimed mountain rescue expert, Mr Gitau said one can survive for up to 30 days in the mountain without food as there are plenty of edible leaves and water.

In 2007, KWS pilot Solomon Nyanjui survived on leaves in the mountain for a whole week after his helicopter crashed in the forest on the Chuka side.

Anyone with information on the missing couple can get in touch with the family through telephone numbers: 0733547041 / 0721117631 / 0722752470