Family in Urgent Search for Missing Kenyan Student in the UK
British police are searching for a 30-year-old Kenyan postgraduate student who went missing in Berkshire more than a week ago.
Edna Mmbali Ombakho, who studies at York St John University’s London campus, was last seen on 1 February in Wraysbury. She had been living there with her boyfriend since late 2024. Thames Valley Police said she left the house to go for a walk and did not return.
Her family in Kitale, Trans Nzoia County, reported her missing after she failed to make her regular contact, which they described as out of character. Police have taken a statement from Ombakho’s partner and continue to appeal for information from the public.
Officers described her as 5ft 5in tall, of slight build, with braided hair and glasses. When she was last seen, she was wearing a khaki coat with a fur-lined hood and knee-high boots.
Her family has appealed for help in locating her, saying they are deeply concerned about her safety and asking anyone with information to come forward. Human rights organisation HAKI Africa said on 7 February that it had been contacted by the family and was following the case.
In a statement, the organisation urged anyone with knowledge of Ombakho’s whereabouts to share it, noting that small details could be significant. The case comes amid recent incidents involving Kenyans in the UK. In January, the body of Kepha Otieno, a Kenyan national who was homeless, was found in Reading.
Authorities said he died from exposure while living in a makeshift settlement along Abattoirs Road. The site, which housed people from Kenya, Tanzania and the UK, had been facing eviction after a High Court order. Advocacy groups said many residents had unresolved immigration cases and limited access to support services.
In January 2025, Marianne Kilonzi, a Kenyan-born bank executive, was found dead in her London flat. Police investigations into her death are continuing.
