Where is Brian Odhiambo? Riots rock Nakuru over fisherman’s disappearance

Protests over the missing fisherman Brian Odhiambo turned ugly on Thursday as angry residents engaged security officers in running battles across Nakuru Town East.

The protests, which entered day five on Thursday, also led to several students of Kimathi Secondary School being rushed to the hospital for treatment after they were affected by lethal teargas canisters lobbed by security officers to disperse the demonstrators.

The protests stemmed from Odhiambo’s disappearance on Saturday, January 18th, 2025, with residents insisting that he was last seen being roughed up and whisked away by Kenya Wildlife Service officers.

"Tumemtafuta, tumemkosa. Tunajaribu kuwaambia watupee mwili, wanakataa. Wameficha mwili na si mara ya kwanza. Sasa sisi tumechoka. Tunataka kufikia kesho hawa watu watupee mwili twende tuzike na amani. Hatutaki mambo mengi," said a local.

Several learners from the nearby Kimathi Secondary School were rushed to the hospital for urgent treatment after being affected by the fumes of the teargas canisters used to disperse the protesters.

"Tuko na mtoto ameshtuka, analia. Teargas amenyongwa na hiyo teargas," another resident added.

Kenya Wildlife Service officers and anti-riot police units initially deployed to restore calm sought backup from nearby sub-counties to contain the protesters. In their rage, the demonstrators lit bonfires and blocked the road leading to Lake Nakuru National Park with stones.

"Sisi hatuna mambo na gava. Watupee tu mwili wa Brayo tutulie. Wanatuchapa hadi na risasi," a resident stated.

The situation escalated further when the protesters accessed the park through the Langa Langa 46 area and set parts of it ablaze.

"Tumechoma park juu ya vitu ambavyo wanatufanyia—kutupiga, kutudhulumia, na hakuna kitu tumefanya," another local said.

Area leaders and human rights activists have lamented over what they term sluggish progress in the police investigations.

"Wanasema waliacha dereva kwa gari na mahabusu. Ati mahabusu akasema alegezwe mikono ili aweze kujisaidia, alafu akapotea kwa msitu. Hii ndio sababu wanapeana, lakini sisi hatukubaliana nayo kwa sababu huyu kijana alikuwa amepigwa sana hadi hangeweza kusimama. Kwa sababu hata hao kumuweka kwa gari walimbebania, kumfumania, kumuinuwa juu na kumweka ndani ya gari," said a resident.

Brian Odhiambo’s whereabouts remain a mystery as the police reveal that 13 Kenya Wildlife Service officers have been interrogated in relation to the matter as investigations continue.