Two families from Lugari Sub -location, Lugari Sub-County, are living in pain following the disappearance of their daughters under unclear circumstances.
The two girls, Lavender Akose and Hawa Rashid aged 15 and 17 years respectively and from two different families have been missing for reportedly the past one month.
Mary Awinja, the mother to Lavender, a standard eight pupil at Mbakalo ACK Boarding Primary School, said her daughter left their home on 11/10/2021 without her knowledge and she has never been traced.
Awinja, who is a vegetable vendor at Lugari Station market, says she spent the morning part of the day with her daughter who left to prepare lunch, but never returned.
“When I came back in the evening, I didn’t find her. I tried to inquire from neighbours but none of them knew of her whereabouts,” said Awinja.
She said her daughter took Sh4, 500 meant for her school fees and she is believed to have left together with her long-time friend Hawa Rashid to an unknown destination.
According to Hawa’s mother, Saum Makongolo, she had gone to visit her ailing father when she was informed of the disappearance of her daughter.
“I travelled on Sunday 10th, October 2021, to visit my ailing father and left my daughter with her young sibling, but on Tuesday, I was shocked to receive information about her disappearance forcing me to come back on Wednesday,” said Saum.
The two families say for the past one month they have been searching for their daughters in vain.
They said that they have recorded a statement with police at the Lugari Police Station concerning the matter.
Hawa’s mother said that the family has inquired from their relatives and friends, but there has been no positive report from their efforts.
Parents are now worried whether their daughters are still alive or dead.
“Fear of underage marriage or tricked by ill intended people to accept house help jobs is what complicates the whole issue,” they noted.
By Geoffrey Satia
