Fear and anguish have engulfed residents of Muthara Village in Juja, Kiambu County, following the mysterious disappearance of two schoolgirls in less than two weeks.
The first to go missing was Nelius Muthoni, a Grade Six pupil at Muthara Primary School, who vanished on December 24, 2025 at around 7am.
She had been sent by her mother to buy breakfast items from a nearby shop, barely 700 metres from their home—but she never returned.
Her father, Charles Mwatha, says the family’s world collapsed that morning.
“She bought the items and started walking back home. The shopkeeper and a neighbour both confirmed seeing her leave, but she never reached home. We have searched everywhere in Juja, Thika, even parts of Murang’a, but we have found nothing,” Mwatha said, his voice heavy with grief
The disappearance was reported at Witeithie Police Station (OB No. 17/24/12/2025). Since then, the family and neighbours have lived in anguish, combing villages and towns in a desperate search for the girl who was preparing to transition to Grade Six.
Nelius’ mother has been unable to speak publicly, overwhelmed by pain, while her grandmother, Priscilla Muthoni, says the family is emotionally exhausted and pleading for faster action from the Juja DCI.
Barely a kilometre away, another family is enduring a similar nightmare.
On the night of January 4, Lucy Wathithi, 16, a Form Three student at Chania Girls High School in Thika, vanished from her home, just a day before schools reopened.
Her father, Simon Mukuha, recounts the painful last moments before she disappeared.
“We had gone to church that day, and later reminded her to pack for school. In the evening, we slaughtered a chicken given by her grandfather as a back-to-school gift. She prepared everything and was told to sleep early. In the morning, her mother went to wake her up, but the room was empty,” Mukuha said.
Lucy’s bedroom door was unlocked, with no sign of struggle. Since that night, the family has searched relentlessly, but with no answers.
As fear spreads across the village, residents are now calling on police to intensify patrols and investigations. During a visit to the affected families on Thursday, Juja MP George Koimburi and area MCA Ngugi Mwibiri urged the National Police Service to step up security in the fast-growing region.
Koimburi stressed the urgency of the matter, noting that the region had previously faced security threats.
“We once dealt with the menace of marauding hyenas in this area, and they disappeared. The same seriousness must be applied here; those behind the disappearance of these girls must be hunted down,” Koimburi said.
The MCA appealed to the Inspector General of Police to deploy an additional patrol vehicle, arguing that the single vehicle stationed at Witeithie Police Station is insufficient for the vast and expanding Juja Sub-County.
Juja Sub-County police have since assured residents that investigations are ongoing and promised to trace the whereabouts of the two girls as soon as possible.
