This Kenyan mole shrew is known from one specimen found on the eastern slope of Mount Elgon. Its thick coat had dark brown hair bases and paler tips, although the paper notes that preservation may have faded the color.
The paper describes thick, woolly fur with dark brown bases and lighter terminal 2 mm. It also notes that long-term preservation in liquid may have faded the coat.
This shrew has greatly enlarged claws on its front feet. The hind claws are enlarged more moderately. It lacks projecting external ears, and its reduced eyes are covered by a membrane. These features, together with its short tail, give the animal a distinctive form.
The 2009 description examined one animal found on the eastern flank of Mount Elgon, Kenya, at 3,150 metres. Its skull was removed from the fluid-preserved body and compared with the other two species in the genus. Many skull and tooth measurements were intermediate between them, while the braincase was smaller and shorter than in either. Comparing individual body structures revealed a combination of features characteristic of the new species.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
On the Kenyan side of Mount Elgon, where this shrew was discovered, conversion of forest to farmland and charcoal production are conservation concerns. The local conservation project reports working with the Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenya Forest Service, using scouts to identify charcoal-burning areas and support ranger action against forest destruction.