14 years away, finally back home

Meshack Shikuku (right), a former TSC employee at their Chepkube home in Mt. Elgon on Oct 6th, 2016. He is welcomed back home with relatives. (PHOTO: CHRISPEN SECHERE/ STANDARD)

The last time Meshack Shikuku was home was in 2002 when he was still a teacher at Serem High School in Nandi.

Back then, the man from Chepkube, in Mt Elgon, was on the Teachers Service Commission payroll working as a geography and history teacher. But, 14 years later, Meshack returned home empty handed - a pale shadow of his former self.

His woes started after he had an affair with a school girl that led to his dismissal.

“I was traumatised after TSC terminated its contract with me and I did not want to return home because I did not want my friends to laugh at me since I was now jobless,” he says.

Meshack, 48, graduated from Kenyatta University in 1995 and was lucky to be employed at Serem High School the same year.

Life was sweet for him as he thrived in his chosen career until 2002 when he made a mistake that he still regrets to date.

“I admit what I did was not right and ask for forgiveness. When it happened, I became the laughing stock of people who were very close to me - they shunned me for impregnating a school girl and for losing my job. My prayer now is that my former employer, TSC, would consider giving me back my job,” he said.

For the 14 years he was away, Meshack said he had been living with a friend. He said between 2005 and 2010, he was lucky enough to secure employment at Kimareni High School in Nandi where he taught geography and history.

“Despite having a relatively steady job, I still could not bring myself to go back home. The shame I felt would not leave me,” he said.

Unknown to Meshack, his family back home was in distress following years of searching for him. He only got to know this early this year when he met his father’s friend in Nandi who gave him this information.

“He asked for my phone number but I did not have a phone. I had never bought one because I had no one to communicate with and I also feared if any of my relatives got the number since I did not know what to tell them my reason for not going home was. I instead gave him a letter to take to my brother,” he said.

The man came back in May looking for Meshack and told him he needed to go back home.

“He asked me to talk to my father using his phone and hearing my father’s voice after so many years helped me remember the saying East or West home is best. It was time to return,” Meshack said.

He left for Mt Elgon the following month and was met by his brother at the market centre and together, they made their way home.

“When I got there, I found a big ceremony. Everyone was happy to see me, they were singing and dancing, we ate and drunk. My family assured me of their love and support and pleaded with me not to disappear again saying they would help me and ensure I was once again back on my feet,” he recalls.

Being home for the last four months has brought a sense of well-being for Meshack. He is however, haunted by the fact that his parents continue to fend for his two children and wants to take over that role.

“I know what I did was wrong but it was the first time I violated the law and I have paid for my mistake dearly. I appeal to TSC to kindly give me a teaching opportunity in a local school; teaching is my passion and I love seeing students succeed in life,” Meshack said.