Body of Missing KFS Legal Services Manager Esther Wairimu Keige Found in Juja

The search for Kenya Forest Service (KFS) Legal Services Manager Esther Wairimu Keige has ended in tragedy after her body was discovered in an isolated coffee plantation in Juja, Kiambu County, nearly a month after she went missing.

The 54-year-old advocate disappeared on June 10, 2026, after leaving her office along Kiambu Road. Her disappearance sparked nationwide concern and prompted extensive search efforts involving her family, the Kenya Forest Service, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), colleagues and members of the public.

According to Juja Sub-county Police Commander Isaac Kombo, Wairimu's body was found in Area 4 near Karimenu in Juja. Investigators said the body was intact but had already begun decomposing.

Two members of her family visited the scene and positively identified the remains before the body was transferred to the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital Mortuary, where a post-mortem examination will be conducted to establish the exact cause of death.

Police said they are recording statements from family members as part of ongoing investigations to help establish Wairimu's movements, state of mind and the circumstances leading up to her disappearance.

Investigators also revealed that students from a nearby school told officers they had recently seen Wairimu alive on the school grounds, where she was reportedly seeking help to find food before her body was discovered.

The heartbreaking discovery was confirmed by Wairimu's family in a statement shared on Tuesday, July 7 and later circulated by the Kenya Forest Service.

“It is with deep sorrow and heavy hearts that we, the Keige family, announce the passing of our beloved Esther Wairimu Keige, who went missing on 10th June 2026. Following weeks of tireless searching, she was found on the night of 6th July 2026,” the family said.

The family expressed gratitude to everyone who supported the search efforts during the weeks she remained missing.

“We are deeply grateful to everyone who walked this journey with us, family, friends, colleagues and members of the public, for your prayers, support and tireless efforts in the search for our beloved Esther. May her soul rest in eternal peace,” the statement added.

Five days after Wairimu disappeared, the Kenya Forest Service issued a public appeal urging Kenyans to help trace the senior legal officer.

“We wish to notify the general public of the disappearance of our colleague, Ms Esther Keige. Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts is kindly requested to report to the nearest police station or contact the numbers provided below,” KFS said in its appeal issued on June 15.

The disappearance also prompted the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) to join the search after confirming that Wairimu was one of its members.

In a statement issued on June 15, LSK President Charles Kanjama appealed to advocates and members of the public to help locate the missing lawyer.

“The Law Society of Kenya has received a report of a missing member. We appeal to the public to assist in tracing Esther Wairimu Keige, Advocate, who was last seen in the Juja area on 10th June 2026,” Kanjama said.

He urged anyone with information to contact the society or report to the relevant authorities, noting that every lead could prove crucial.

Wairimu held one of the most senior legal positions within the Kenya Forest Service as the agency's Manager of Legal Services, where she advised the corporation on legal matters relating to forest conservation, environmental protection, land disputes, litigation and policy implementation.

Her disappearance had caused widespread anxiety within both the forestry sector and the legal fraternity, with colleagues expressing hope that she would be found alive.

Police have not indicated whether foul play is suspected, and investigators are yet to establish what transpired between the time she disappeared on June 10 and the discovery of her body nearly four weeks later.

Authorities say investigations are ongoing as detectives work to piece together the events surrounding her death.