In a heartwarming reunion, an 81-year-old man who had been missing for five decades has returned home in Homa Bay, sparking joy and celebration among the community.
Joseph Odongo, who vanished from his home in Riwa village, West Kanyada location, back in 1972 when he was just 30 years old, has finally come back to his roots. His disappearance was the result of a disagreement with certain family members at the time.
Upon his return, the village was filled with astonishment, as no one below the age of 60 could recognize him. Everyone born after his departure had only heard stories about him but had never laid eyes on him.
Mzee Odongo explained that he had made the decision to disappear from home due to a falling-out with his now-deceased brother.
He informed only a few family members that he intended to go to Sikri beach, located a few kilometers from his home. However, instead of heading there, he relocated to Mombasa, where he lived in obscurity.
Given the limited means of communication at that time, tracing him had proven exceedingly difficult, leading his family to assume that he might have passed away.
Nonetheless, his sister-in-law, 90-year-old Matasia Akelo, clung to the hope that Mzee Odongo would one day return.
Following his long-awaited reunion with his family, Mzee Odongo shared that he had been residing in Likoni, Mombasa County, where he worked as a security guard.
West Kanyada Location Chief Kenneth Achieng revealed that the elderly man walked into his office, located at Kabunde, seeking assistance before the heartwarming reunion with his family was arranged.
