Friends and relatives of Brian Odhiambo at the Nakuru Law Courts on March 13, 2025.[ Kipsang Joseph, Standard]
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has reversed its decision to allow free entry to Lake Nakuru National Park, a move that comes just days after the wife of missing fisherman Brian Odhiambo made a public appeal for Kenyans to join a search party at the park.
The sudden policy change has sparked outrage and raised questions about what KWS might be hiding within the park's boundaries.
Initially, KWS announced that all Kenyan citizens would have free access to national parks across the country to celebrate the UNWTO World Tourism Day.
However, in a surprising turn of events, the agency clarified on Friday that Lake Nakuru National Park would be excluded from this initiative.
The decision has been met with suspicion, especially given the park's connection to the unresolved disappearance of Brian Odhiambo, who was last seen in January 2025 after being arrested by KWS officers.
Alvy Okello, Odhiambo's wife, had urged Kenyans to take advantage of the free entry to assist in the search for her husband, whose whereabouts remain unknown despite months of investigation.
In a heartfelt video message that circulated widely on social media, Okello expressed the desperation of her family, particularly her children, who continue to ask about their father's fate. "Life has not been easy on my side.
I believe @KWSKenya must now come clean with Kenyans and tell us what they're hiding in Lake Nakuru National Park.
- husseinkhalid (@husskhalid) September 26, 2025
KWS announced free entry to all parks on Saturday 27th and the family of Brian Odhiambo announced they'll use the free entry to go search for Brian at Lake Nakuru... https://t.co/9CoShopWuA pic.twitter.com/x9mx0RhPNH
My children always ask me, 'Where is our dad?'" she said, holding a poster that read, "Where is Brian Odhiambo? We want justice!"
The timing of KWS's policy reversal has led many to speculate that the agency is attempting to prevent a large-scale public search that could uncover sensitive information.
"Why now? Why exclude Lake Nakuru when the family of Brian Odhiambo is calling for help?" asked Hussein Khalid, a human rights advocate, in a post on X.
"I believe KWS must now come clean with Kenyans and tell us what they're hiding in Lake Nakuru National Park."
The disappearance of Brian Odhiambo has been a contentious issue, with allegations that KWS rangers were involved in his abduction.