While many praised the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and its partner agencies for safely rescuing Bildad Simiyu on Sunday afternoon, others sharply questioned why the operation took so long and why he had to wait until morning before being evacuated.
A section of Kenyans online argued that with modern equipment and specialised teams, the rescue should not have stretched overnight.
“24 hours to rescue an injured person. Why are we being asked to pay more at the gate? Our fees should fund faster care, not just entrance. Anyway, glad he is safe,” one Twitter user wrote.
“It is scary that KWS took over 24 hours to rescue someone from inside Mt Longonot... Having done that route more than ten times, this should have been done in hours. But the efforts are well appreciated,” another commented.
"Why isn’t KWS investing in modern emergency-response tools such as drones? The trail is exciting and attracts hikers of all ages, including children. Yet some sections are extremely narrow, with exposed stumps that could easily cause a fall," another added.
Some, however, sided with KWS for waiting until dawn.
One user explained, “Oya wasee! Before you bash KWS and their partners, remember a crater is steep, with sharp and unstable walls. Also, the crater is shaped like a bowl, making it unsuitable for a helicopter, as its blades could cause turbulence and risk collision. That’s why a chopper is out of the question.”
KWS, in their original social media post, maintained that halting the extraction after dark was the only safe option, citing the unstable crater walls and fading visibility.
"As darkness fell and extraction became too risky, our KWS team stayed at the crater rim, kept talking to him, reassured him, and monitored his condition throughout the night," KWS said.
However, the debate also revived memories of other KWS rescue operations, some successful and others tragic.
Many referenced past missions, including the April 2025 Tsavo East operation where a missing family of four was found alive after a 24-hour joint search, and the dramatic rescue of a four-year-old boy who survived six days alone in the Tsavo wilderness.
Others recalled earlier incidents, such as the Hells Gate flash floods and the 2021 evacuation of an Irish climber on Mt. Kenya.
Despite the divided opinions, most Kenyans expressed relief that Simiyu survived the ordeal and is now in stable condition at Naivasha County Referral Hospital.