Kenya Railways has given an update of a man who alighted from the Makadara Express from Nairobi.
The man who was reported missing by his family was identified as 78-year-old Peterson Mwangi Ngunyi.
He boarded the Makadara Express from Nairobi to Mombasa but he didn't finish the journey after conductors realised he had a false ticket that had already been used.
When asked to call his family so that they pay for the ticket the man didn't have a phone or contacts that he knew off hence the staff asked him to alight either from Mombasa or the nearest station which was Athi River.
"According to KR procedure, any passenger found with an invalid ticket on the train is required to either pay for the ticket, payable at the destination or alight at the nearest railway station. To assist Mr Mwangi the train crew requested him to reach out to a family member to pay for his journey but he neither had a phone nor any contact through which he could get assistance.
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"All these options were presented to Mr Mwangi who unfortunately opted to discontinue his journey and alighted at the next station; Athi River Station," the statement read in part.
Further, KR explained that they had not been notified of Mwangi's mental health issues before he boarded the train.
Their protocols indicate that persons with mental health illnesses should be accompanied by their kin and if they are travelling unaccompanied the family should inform KR.
Kenya Railways insisted that its staff treated the 78-year-old with the utmost respect and followed the stipulated procedures if such cases arise.
"We wish to notify our esteemed customers that we do not take this matter lightly and are working closely with the police who have circulated the missing person report to all police stations countrywide in the hope of reuniting Mr Mwangi with his family.
