Zimbabwean toddler kidnapped in Nkayi spotted in Kenya

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Seven years old Awakhiwe Ackim Ncube who was kidnapped five years ago while playing with other kids in Nkayi’s area of Hompani is still to be reunited with his parents after he was spotted in Kenya.

His parents are now on the verge of giving up hope of ever seeing their son again despite the fact that they know where he is.

According to the mother, Nobekezelo Maseko, Awakhiwe was kidnapped and drugged with two other children by the kidnappers who were headed to Kenya.

The suspected kidnappers, Margaret Juma Magero and David Ochieng Omentho, believed to be husband and wife, had two other children who are not Zimbabwean.

When they reached the Kenyan border, Awakhiwe is said to have started crying and demanding to be returned to his mother.

Border officials became suspicious and detained the kidnappers as Awakhiwe was speaking in Ndebele.

The officials thought the child was Zimbabwean or South African.

The alleged kidnappers were arraigned before senior principal magistrate, Diana Mochache in Shanzu Principal courts on 13 December 2016.

The magistrate ruled that Awakhiwe and the two children be placed under the custody of Happy Children’s home in Nairobi until their parents are found.

The other two kids have since been identified, but yet to be extradited to their home countries and reunited with their families.

A month after he was last seen in his grandparents’ backyard, Awakhiwe, who was 2 years old when he was kidnapped, was found at Happy Children’s home in Kenya in Nairobi after his pictures circulated on social media. His mother Nobekezelo said:

One of the neighbours in Nkayi brought a picture which was sent by his son who is in South Africa.
They went with it to show the grandfather of the child who saw without a doubt that it was his grandson.

She said she reached out to the orphanage and a woman running it confirmed that her Awakhiwe was a resident at the home. Said Nobekezelo:

I sent her a picture and Awakhiwe identified me. The mother, who keeps them, asked us which name are we using when we call him, we said Kim, which is short for Ackim.
She then said called him by that name and he answered back.

Meanwhile, Nobekezelo said the paperwork to bring back her child is still being processed by the Embassy of Zimbabwe in Kenya.

—Zimbabwe situation