A dusty road off Mogotio-Baringo highway leads to Ms Selina Chepkong’a’s home at Olomorai village in Mogotio constituency, Baringo County.
Here we find the 43-year-old seated on a sofa, reading the Bible before saying a silent prayer. After exchanging pleasantries, she ushers us into the house.
Reading the Bible and praying have been Ms Chepkong’a’s sources of solace for the last five years.
The visibly agonising mother says she turned to prayer after her first born son mysteriously disappeared while on attachment in Kakamega County.
Franklin Kipruto Kipkemoi, then 26, was a student of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (Mmust), where he was pursuing a degree in education.
Since June 2018, when Kipruto went missing, his family has been living in agony and confusion, not knowing if he was kidnapped and killed or if he is still alive.
“My prayer is that God helps me find closure. l want to find my son, dead or alive,” said Ms Chepkong’a’. “We have been having sleepless nights for the last four years. We have never known peace.”
Ms Chepkong’a’ says she last spoke to her son a week before his disappearance, after he called to inform her that he had secured an attachment at one of the schools in Kakamega. He did not name it.
She says her efforts to reach him later, to find out if he reported to the school, were futile as his phone was off. She did not worry as she thought he had drained his battery and would charge it later.
Frankline Kipruto Kipkemoi, a student of the Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (Mmmust), who has been missing since June 2018.
Ms Chepkong’a’ became terrified when, two days later, she phoned Kipruto and found that his phone was still off.
“When I failed to reach him on the phone, I called his roommate but he told me he travelled to Eldoret that morning and left my son preparing himself to leave. The friend said Kipruto also told him he was going for an attachment but did not tell him where. I was worried but I kept telling myself he would call me,” she said.
Ms Chepkong’a’ said she traveled to the institution in August 2018 but was told to await the return of students on attachment.
Surprisingly, Kipruto was not among them.
Three months later, she was advised to file a missing person report at Kakamega Police Station, the hope being that investigators would solve the puzzle.
Hours turned into days and months and then years but Kipruto has never been seen again.
His mother says they have searched their neighborhood and called friends in vain but their prayer remains that he will be found alive as he was a pillar of hope and a source of happiness to the family.
“We have resorted to prayers in the hope that our son will one day come back home and continue with his university education. He was an obedient and bright boy right from primary school. He dreamt of being a teacher,” she said.
Selina Chepkong’a displays a picture of her missing son, Frankline Kipruto Kipkemoi, and two other people, at their home at Olomorai village in Mogotio sub-county, Baringo County, March 2, 2023.
Ms Chepkong’a’ says Kipruto completed his secondary education at Poror High School in Eldama Ravine in 2015, scoring a mean grade of B+ and earning himself a place at Mmust to pursue education, specializing in physics and chemistry.
She describes her son as hardworking, humble and bright, but secretive, as he never disclosed his problems to anyone and often kept to himself.
The mother of six said that during the long holidays, Kipruto would hawk cakes and coffee in the neighborhood to help raise money for school fees.
“We are from a humble background but he used to look for ways to get money. He would apply for a Helb loan and add that to the income from the business and then pay school fees. We struggled and got money for rent, food, transport and his upkeep while in school,” she said.
“Life has never been the same since he went missing. We have no clue about his whereabouts. If he sees this, may he return home. We are begging him to return home. We miss him. His siblings ask for his whereabouts every day. I cannot sleep because I don’t know if he is alive or dead,” she said.
The family appealed to the public to volunteer information, saying they are ready for whichever outcome, whether positive or negative.
“If we wronged him in any way we ask for forgiveness. We plead with him to return home so we can mend things [sic]. It will bring to an end the emotional anguish we have undergone searching for him.” BY DAILY NATION