Ali Sheikh
Wajir.
The Wajir community is breathing a collective sigh of relief after the discovery of Hussein Abdirahman Mohamed, the Wajir Huduma Centre Manager and Assistant County Commissioner, who had been missing for more than four months.
Mohamed, 45, popularly known as “Hussein Moi,” was found alive in Dhobley, a border town in Somalia’s Lower Juba region. His disappearance on July 8, 2025, had plunged his family and the wider community into months of uncertainty and fear.
Mohamed was last seen around 10 a.m. in Wajir town, shortly after attending an official engagement with the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service. His family reported him missing later that day at Wajir Police Station (OB Number 32/08/07/2025).
Despite weeks of investigations, authorities were unable to trace his whereabouts, prompting fears of abduction. In August, the family filed a habeas corpus petition at the High Court, demanding that state agencies produce him “dead or alive.”
A major breakthrough came on Thursday, November 20, when Mohamed was located in Dhobley, approximately 177 kilometres from the Dadajabula border point in Wajir South.
According to relatives who have managed to see him, Mohamed is severely weakened, emaciated, and struggling to speak. Photographs shared privately within the family show clear signs of prolonged distress.
“We are overjoyed that he is alive, but devastated by the condition in which he has been found,” said Abdi Wahab, Mohamed’s paternal uncle, who travelled to the border immediately after receiving the news.
The family is coordinating with Kenyan and Somali officials to facilitate his urgent repatriation for medical care in Wajir.
Northeastern Regional Commissioner John Otieno confirmed the development during a security tour of the region and urged residents to share any information that could assist ongoing investigations.
Mohamed, widely respected for his integrity and professionalism, oversaw operations at the busy Huduma Centre—a central hub for government services—while serving concurrently as Assistant County Commissioner. His disappearance had intensified concerns about the security of civil servants posted to remote border areas, reviving calls for improved protection measures and the establishment of a multi-agency task force.
With repatriation arrangements now underway, focus is gradually shifting to Mohamed’s recovery and the circumstances surrounding his four-month absence.
Authorities have so far withheld detailed information, citing the need for a comprehensive and methodical investigation.
The family expects to have him back in Wajir within days and has pledged to provide updates once he is safely home. Across social media platforms, Kenyans have expressed overwhelming relief and gratitude, with many posting, “Alhamdulillah, he’s safe,” and offering prayers for his full recovery.
For a community that had steeled itself for the worst, the news that Hussein Moi is alive has brought a surge of joy, closure, and renewed hope across Kenya’s northeastern frontier.