Family in Lamu seeks State help to trace missing nurse

Mr Omar Faraj, 41, a senior nurse at the King Fahad Referral Hospital who was reported missing on December 19, 2019 while in Eldoret. His family in Lamu has appealed for help to trace him. PHOTO | KALUME KAZUNGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • In September this year, Mr Faraj enrolled for a higher diploma course at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.
  • Mrs Faraj said the absence of the father of 10 and a husband to four wives is already having its impact.
  • Mr Omar has worked as a nurse in Lamu since 2011.

A family in Lamu is agonising over the disappearance of their kin who went missing six days ago under mysterious circumstances.

Mr Omar Faraj, 41, a father of 10 and a senior nurse at the King Fahd Referral Hospital, was reported missing on Thursday last week while in Eldoret.

In September this year, Mr Faraj enrolled for a higher diploma in pre-operative nursing at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.

He was reported missing shortly after leaving the institution for a burial within Eldoret town on Thursday afternoon.

WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN

Addressing journalists during a gathering to pray for Mr Faraj at their Mkomani home in Lamu town on Tuesday, family members appealed to the State to assist them trace the whereabouts of their son, whom they described as a peace loving person.

Mr Faraj Mbiki, Mr Omar’s father, said they have so far visited all police stations in Lamu, Mokowe, Mpeketoni and even in Eldoret where he was studying but have not been able to locate their son.

“I have seven children. Omar is my first born son. He is a registered nurse. He enrolled for a higher diploma in pre-operative nursing at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in September and this is his fourth month there. He is used to calling us every day. We became suspicious on Thursday when he didn’t call. When we tried to call his number, the phone was off. We’ve reported the matter to the Lamu Police Station under OB Number 11/22/12/2019. We’ve also been looking for him in all police stations in Lamu and in Eldoret. We’ve also visited the various hospital mortuaries without success. We’re worried,” said Mr Mbiki.

FOUR WIVES

Khadija Faraj, a sister of Faraj, called on the government to help them trace her elder brother.

Mrs Faraj said the absence of the father of 10 and a husband to four wives is already having its impact since the family he left behind cannot sustain themselves any more.

According to Ms Faraj, the disappearance of her brother has weighed heavily on the health of their 68-year-old mother Mwanahadiye Faraj.

Relatives of Mr Omar Faraj who has been missing for a week gather at his home in Lamu. PHOTO | KALUME KAZUNGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

“We want our brother back. Our mother got diabetes and high blood pressure shortly after Omar disappeared and she has been getting worse with each passing day. The only remedy will be when Omar comes back alive or dead. The government should help us,” said Mrs Faraj.

Mrs Mariam Abdallah, a cousin of Mr Omar, said the State is better placed to answer their queries about his whereabouts.

Mr Omar has worked as a nurse in Lamu since 2011.

AL-SHABAAB ATTACKS

On July 27, 2014, just days after the Al-Shabaab terror attacks in Mpeketoni, Kibaoni and Witu that saw at least 100 people massacred, armed security officers, including anti-terror police officers, raided his family house in Witu, Lamu West, while he was on leave.

Mr Omar was later arrested.

While making his presentation to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNHRC) public inquiry on security at Lamu Fort in 2016, Omar said he was held for 16 days by security agencies, three of them incommunicado, at an unknown place while blind-folded on suspicion of treating Al-Shabaab militias in Mbwajumwali village in Lamu East Sub-County.

“About 12 police officers raided my house and hit me in the mouth with a gun butt before arresting me for allegedly treating injured Al-Shabaab militants. They later released me without preferring any charges,” he said during the inquiry.