Three years of waiting, hoping for return of lost daughter

Michael Koimet,45, displaying a photo of their missing daughter Triza Jeptoo Koimet and his wife Pauline,40, at their home in Patkawanin village in Marigat,Baringo County on October 8,2014.Their daughter who was then 14 and who was a standard eight pupil bolted out of their home in February 2012 and yet to return.PHOTO By:BONIFACE THUKU.

Nairobi; Kenya: It has been three painful years for a family in Patkawanin Village, Marigat sub-County, since their 14-year-old daughter disappeared from their home over a disagreement with her parents about repeating a class.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012 is a date Michael Koimet, 45, and his wife Pauline, 40, will never forget as it was on that day that they last saw their daughter Triza Jeptoo Koimet.

The girl, who was preparing to register for her Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations for the second time at the nearby Patkawanin Primary School, was not happy about repeating a class and her parents believe this was what caused her to take off.

“It was 1pm when her younger sister came and told us that her sister had not attended afternoon classes yet they had both left for school,” narrates a distraught mother.

They hoped that their daughter would come back home that evening and explain where she had been but she never returned. Three days later, they embarked on a search. Villagers they asked said they had not seen her.

Later, some children said they had seen her two days before her disappearance with a man who works for Kenya Power as a contractual employee.

“They informed us that for two days, after coming from school, she spent several hours with the said employee who was part of a team in the village that was connecting a power line,” explains Pauline.

This was later corroborated by a letter the parents received, which the daughter had written informing them that they should not look for her because she was comfortable living with someone she did not name.

Since Jeptoo’s disappearance, all has not been well in the family with the mother being the worst affected. Her health has deteriorated due to frustration over the mysterious disappearance of her daughter.

At 14, says Pauline, her daughter has not matured enough to make the decision to ‘get married’ or live with someone outside the family. Even the person she is living with should be courteous enough to inform the family about her whereabouts, but this has not happened and the family is worried about their daughter’s welfare.

Koimet says searching for his daughter has been difficult. They have responded to all possible leads with the hope of finding her but all have been in vain.

They reported the disappearance at the Kabarnet police station twice but to date, the police have not produced a single suspect or given reliable information regarding the whereabouts of the missing girl.

“When we confronted Kenya Power and told them that one of their employees might have disappeared with the girl, they said most of those who were working on the power line during that time were contractual workers and not permanent employees. They say they came from different parts of the country,” says Koimet.

“I wonder if a man took her as his wife. But why has it taken all these years for him or his family to inform us that they have our daughter. We have already forgiven her and whoever took her.”

All the family wants now is to hear from their daughter. They are calling upon anybody with information on her whereabouts to come forth.