It is now a week since Sheilla Kagendo was last seen at her parent’s home in Valley View estate, Mihang’o in Nairobi.
The 13-year-old pupil disappeared on April 24 at mid-day. Her mother took her mobile phone because she was spending too much time on WhatsApp, a popular social media app for chatting. Lenna Mwaniki, her mother, told The Standard Saturday that two months ago she had an agreement with her first born child that she would delete her WhatsApp- application in order to concentrate on class work. The mother reckoned that the girl ought to be concentrating on her studies given that she is set to sit for Kenya Certificate of Primary School Education examination this year. The girl initially obeyed but she downloaded the application again. In a bid to discipline her, the mother took away the phone. And that is when trouble started.
The girl left home till today. “I had told her to delete WhatsApp but she downloaded it again. I punished her and left but when I came back, she was not in the house. We have not found her to-date,” a worried Mrs Mwaniki said. Siblings missing her The girl is a pupil at Utawala Academy. Though she has acted in rebellion, the mother says the daughter is a disciplined and a calm person. The mother says her dream is to be a journalist.
On the day she disappeared, she left a letter on the table indicating that her father John Mwaniki and mother should not trouble themselves looking for her. In her letter, Sheilla wrote that she was of age to start life away from her siblings. “Thank you mom and dad for raising me well, may Jehova continue to bless you,” she wrote. “But for now, I need to go. I am a big girl and I can take care of myself. Please don’t bother looking for me.” She also apologised to her other three siblings: Jossie, Karimi, Chris and Veronicah saying that she had caused them enough trouble for walking away.
Her half-page letter went on: “I love you very much. I am very sorry for what I have done. Please do not cry because I am making life difficult for you. I am sorry. Please do not look for me, I have gone to start a new life. Bye to my friends and family.” The girl was last seen wearing a pair of jeans trousers, a pink top with black stripes, an orange jacket and grey rubbers. The mother realised that the child had also taken Sh 1000 from the house. “I told her to finish her homework since they were to resume school this week,” she recalls.
The search started around her neighbourhood and she could not be traced. The matter was reported to Mihang’o Police Station and the law enforcers too have not found her. The parents are desperate and are pleading with the girl to go back home. “We love our daughter and the most important thing is to fi nd her. We only meant well,” says Mr Mwaniki. “Anyone who knows where she is or has seen her, please call us on 0722 460 842 or 0722 430 402.”
