Wamuzi News Ke
A terrifying rescue mission on Mount Kenya has turned into a sad one after the body of porter Samuel Macharia Wanjohi, who was missing for over two weeks, was found. He had disappeared while leading climbers through the harsh and difficult route. The sad find was confirmed by the authorities on Saturday, and it followed days of tireless searches conducted by a team comprised of wildlife rangers, police, and mountain guides.
Wanjohi, who had been a porter for 15 years and was experienced in mountain climbing, went missing on December 23, 2025, as he was crossing the Sirimon–Shipton path in Mt. Kenya National Park, which is the toughest and most frequented hiking corridor of Kenya. His disappearance had resulted in the KWS and its partners swinging into action, and they went on to conduct day and night search operations amid the bad weather and difficult conditions at a very high altitude.
The body was found on January 9, 2026, at about 4,300 meters above sea level in Hinde Valley, which is off the main trail. The finding was the end of an 18-day search that had employed aerial surveillance, specialized mountain rescue teams, and ground units combing the areas, which included Shipton Camp, Austrian Hut, Mackinder’s Valley, and the Timau Route.
KWS in a statement said that they were very sorry about the loss and said that the whole situation had been unfortunate. KWS added that the porter’s disappearance had been formally reported to Chogoria Police just after his family and mates on the trek had raised the alarm. The investigators reported that Wanjohi had a climbing group that left Nanyuki on the same day, and that his going missing led to the immediate search being activated as per the emergency protocol established.
The authorities acknowledged the strength and unity of the search teams, which included not only the porters but also the guides and local volunteers, who fought against the rough conditions in their quest to find Wanjohi alive. However, the discovery of his body in a very remote place demonstrated very clearly the extreme dangers associated with high-altitude trekking and the harshness of Africa’s second-highest mountain.
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has expressed sympathy to the family and friends of Wanjohi and the entire mountain community, stating that they will work harder to ensure mountain safety and be better prepared for emergencies even during the park’s climbing season, which is currently on.
Samuel Macharia Wanjohi, a very capable and esteemed mountain porter, has died, which has come as a very clear reminder of the risks involved in outdoor adventures and the need for stringent safety measures on Kenya’s mountains, even more so now.
