A cloud of double tragedy hangs over a family in Kibomet, Kitale, as they prepare to bury their patriarch while frantically searching for a son who vanished into thin air 14 years ago. The Ndara family has issued an emotional public appeal, begging James Kwemoi Ndara, famously known as "Mashambani," to return home and pay his last respects to his father, Peter Psirmoi Ndara, who died waiting for his return.

The burial, scheduled for Saturday, January 31, 2026, in Namawanga, has transformed from a ceremony of closure into a desperate beacon for the lost. James, a former football star with Nzoia Sugar FC, disappeared in 2012. Since then, his phone has been silent, his trail cold. For over a decade, his father kept a vigil, hoping that one day the gate would open and his son would walk in. That hope remained unfulfilled until his last breath. Now, the family says, the only closure left is for James to see his father one last time.

The Star That Dimmed Too Soon

James Kwemoi Ndara was not just an ordinary village boy; he was a local hero. An alumnus of St Anthony’s Boys Kitale—a national football powerhouse—he was known for his dazzling skills on the pitch. His talent earned him a spot at Nzoia Sugar FC, a top-tier Kenyan club, where he was celebrated as a disciplined and humble player with a bright future. "He was a role model," recalls a former teammate. "He had the world at his feet. We never understood why or how he just disappeared."

His disappearance remains one of the region's enduring mysteries. Did he run away? Was he abducted? Or did he simply choose a new life away from the pressure? The family has exhausted all avenues—police reports, hospitals, mortuaries, and radio announcements—to no avail. The silence has been a slow torture for his mother and siblings, a wound that reopens every time a family gathering is held and his chair sits empty.

• The Public Appeal: "We are not asking for explanations right now," said Mkenya Isaak, a family spokesperson. "We are just asking for his presence. James, if you are reading this, or if anyone knows where Mashambani is, please let him know his father is gone. Let him come and say goodbye."
• A Community in Mourning: The village of Kibomet is rallying behind the family, using social media to share James's old photos in the hopes that the digital footprint might reach him where traditional methods failed.

The Weight of the Unknown

Cases of missing persons in Kenya often end in silence, leaving families in a perpetual state of "ambiguous loss"—unable to grieve because they lack confirmation of death, yet unable to move on. For the Ndara family, the burial of Peter Psirmoi is a painful milestone. It signifies the end of the father's watch. But for the remaining family members, the vigil continues. They hope that the news of the tragedy might break the silence of 14 years and bring their prodigal son home, even if it is to a graveside.