A 94-year-old Kenyan man has returned to his family in Majengo village, Mwatate in Taita Taveta following an absence of 42 years.
Hiltan Kalugho says that he left home for Tanzania in 1980 in search of green pasture. He left behind his wife and seven children.
“I left home in search of greener pastures because I wanted a good future for my children. Unfortunately, I was unable to come back home because I did not get the money I expected to get to feed my family,” he told Sunday Nation.
Kalugho started his life at Mororoni (a small border town) where he worked as a gemstone miner. He found out that the pasture was not so green as early thought or perceived. He turned to livestock herding to make ends meet.
“We did not get any breakthrough. What we used to get was only enough to sustain us,” said Kalugho.
Kalugho refused to remarry and was willing to return home. A Kenyan pastor who was visiting the area shared Kalugho’s story on social media which led to the reunion with his family.
Mnjala Mwaluma, som to Kalugho, said that the family had conducted unsuccessful searches for years. He was called by the pastor and informed that his father had been found in Tanzania.
“Recently I received a call from a pastor telling me my father had been traced in Tanzania. He came with him to Mombasa where we went to meet him,” said Mwaluma.
Upon return home, Kalugho found out that his wife had died in 2007 as well his two other sons.
“I feel so bad that some of my family members are not here to witness the reunion. I had longed to see my wife and all my children.” he said.
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