Kenyan actress Wanjiku Mburu, widely known for her role as Mama Baha on Machachari, recently received an emotional and unexpected call from her brother, George Mburu, who had been abducted by Al Shabaab militants in Somalia a decade ago. George, a civilian engineer, was kidnapped in January 2014 while working in Mogadishu, reportedly in retaliation for Kenya’s military involvement in Somalia. After 10 years of silence, George was able to reach out to his family in a brief call.
In a tearful TikTok video, Wanjiku recounted the emotional moment when she answered a call from an unknown number originating from Somalia. On the other end was George, who had been missing since 2014. “He said, ‘Shii, it is Kajijo. Have you forgotten me already?’ How could I forget? I think about him every day,” she shared.
George revealed that he had been held captive in a small cell, handcuffed and chained, and that his health had deteriorated significantly over the years. His captors, suspected to be Al-Shabab militants, told him that his abduction was meant as retaliation for Kenya’s military presence in Somalia. They pressured George to urge his family to call for the withdrawal of Kenyan troops from Somalia.
Wanjiku Mburu and her family had made previous attempts to appeal to former President Uhuru Kenyatta but with little success. Now, she is calling on current President William Ruto and the Kenyan public for support in securing George’s release. The Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has acknowledged the situation and confirmed they are collaborating with Somali authorities to resolve the matter.
Abductions by extremist groups in Somalia have been a persistent challenge, with militants often using hostages as political leverage or for ransom. Wanjiku’s plea highlights the continued danger faced by civilians in conflict zones and the urgent need for intervention to bring her brother home safely.
