Master Jesse Kamawira, the son of Standard cartoonist James Kamawira alias Kham, who got lost on December 10, 2023, has finally been found.
Kamawira announced on Thursday evening that his son Jesse was involved in a hit-and-run accident along the Nakuru/Nairobi highway in the area around Pipeline on the day he went missing in December.
The Standard Media Group cartoonist said Gilgil police found his son unconscious after the accident and took him to the Nakuru Provincial General Hospital.
“Jesse was received as an unknown male. He was in a coma for over two weeks and when he finally woke up a few days ago, he couldn’t remember his name, parents, home or what had happened to him. He had suffered a concussion that caused a degree of amnesia,” said Kamawira.
He claimed that the Gilgil police failed to notify the traffic department in Nakuru of the incident, and it was therefore not on the traffic department's records.
“When we enquired about any accident at the Central Police Station in Nakuru, two days after he went missing, we could not get satisfactory answers,” he said.
Incredibly, Kamawira said, two days after he went missing the family visited the PGH records department and they were informed that no accident victim or unknown had been received at the hospital on Sunday, December 10 night.
“When we visited the hospital and identified Jesse, the nurses informed us that people looking for unidentified patients have to visit the individual wards in their search,” he said.
If we had known this, we would have been reunited with Jesse two days after he went missing, Kamawira said.
“One fact I would like to acknowledge is the zeal and professionalism of the doctors and nurses at the PGH hospital,” he said.
The nurses and ward mates, he said, had created a special bond with ‘unknown 38’, as he was being referred to during his stay at the hospital.
The journalist said that on Wednesday, he received a call from his neighbour who informed him that the doctor treating his son had identified him after coming across his missing poster post on FB.
“We rushed to the hospital and found my son and he is well apart from the fact that he cannot remember what happened,” Kamawira said.
He said that Jesse recognised them a bit later and has been getting bits and pieces of his memory back.
The journalist said his son suffered some abrasions, cuts and bruises after the accident, and added that he is healing well.
“He is finally home with us and we thank all who helped bring Jesse back home. We owe the social media army a debt of gratitude for the tireless efforts that they made in spreading the word,” Kamawira said.
