Timothy Majanja left for further studies in Canada 48 years ago, yet to return

His brothers Alphonce (right) and Ernest Lugalia During the interview. [PHOTO: BENJAMIN SAKWA/STANDARD]

NAIROBI: Timothy Majanja left the country in 1968 to pursue his studies in Canada and his departure has turned into agony for his family who have not seen him for more than 40 years.

The then 20-year-old was living with his brother Alphonce Lugalia in Nairobi when he got the scholarship.

“He was a student at Ngara City High School when my Canadian friend pledged to help him further his studies. Everything went according to plan and Timothy left in 1968,” he says.

Alphonce says he came back in 1972 and stayed for a few months then left for Zambia before heading on to Canada. When he failed to communicate for close to a year, the family reached out to the Canadian Embassy.

“We were able to contact him and he started sending us letters. He told us he had been recruited by the Canadian government as a police officer and married a Canadian woman with whom he had two children, a boy and a girl,” Alphonce says.

According to his other brother, Ernest Lugalia, Timothy kept in touch until 1988 when he fell off the radar and the family’s effort to reach him have been fruitless.

The family says their brother has been outside the country for 48 years looking for greener pastures but it appears things did not go well for him since they are now hearing rumours that he relocated to Atlanta, US where he now lives as a beggar.

“We keep receiving reports that there is a man from Lubao who is appealing for help to trace his family.  That he lives on the streets as a beggar having lost his job, his license, passport and other valuable documents that would enable him travel,” Ernest says.

He said even if this information were true, it would not matter to them because they still love love their brother.

“Hearing that he is suffering pains our heart. Maybe he is ashamed because of how things turned out but let him know that his family will always be there for him. We are willing to help him if only we know the exact place he is stationed,” Alphonce says.

According to Ernest, it is this conviction that their brother would be back one day that saw them set aside four acres of land in his name.

He said they are now considering selling a portion of the family land in order to facilitate travel to Canada in search of their missing loved one.

“We do not want a curse to follow us and are therefore appealing to the Government to enable us process travel documents so we can make the trip,” he says