Mystery of man with no kin who was dumped by strangers at market

On the morning of September 20, residents of Gikui village in Kangema woke up to find an elderly man shivering in the morning cold in the market.

The concerned villagers gave food and drink to the malnourished man before notifying the local administrators of his presence.

After some probing by assistant chiefs William Irungu and Danson Mwangi, the man, who also exhibited signs of confusion, said he was called Norman Wakarwa and that he was 71 years old. He said he had last visited his Kangema home 50 years ago and was seeking his close relatives.

But first the administrators sought to find out where he had come from. According to Wakarwa, unknown people in a saloon car had dropped him off at the market on the night of September 19 after promising to build him a hotel.

Word went round that he was looking for his kin but when nobody turned up to claim him, he was taken to the Gaturi Home for the Aged when ward representative Eunice Kariuki and leaders at Nyakahura Catholic Church heard about his plight.

Dagoretti market

At Murang’a District Hospital, where he was taken for a medical examination before being admitted to his new home, he told The Standard that his last job was at Dagoretti market, where he worked as a watchman, adding that the people knew he came from Iyego location.

“Since many of the people in Dagoretti area knew I was from Murang’a, I bought the idea that a hotel would be built for me but realised I had been cheated. They probably brought me here to die among my people.”

He claimed his long deceased father was called Charles Mwangi but could not remember where their home used to be.

The old man, who speaks Gikuyu and Kiswahili, claimed to have attended Iyego Primary School and dropped out in Standard Four over 60 years ago.

He also mentioned several former schoolmates and recounted how as youngsters they had walked to General Kago Stadium in Kangema town to watch football matches.

During the past week, the assistant chiefs have convened public meetings in Gikui, Thirikwa and Nyakahura villages, which Wakarwa has said he was familiar with, but none of the residents identified him as a relative or neighbour.

During a meeting at Gikui market, the family of a woman called Peris Waithera – who died 30 years ago and had been mentioned by Wakarwa as his relative – could not confirm that he was one of their own.

On further probing, the man said his mother was a Digo. He also said he had worked in hotels in Mombasa as a cook and waiter. There he met and married a Tanzanian woman before they separated.

He moved to Nairobi where he married another woman who ejected him from her house, leaving him at the mercy of friends.

Mr Irungu, who is the assistant chief of Gacharaigu, said he was heartened by the residents' hospitality, adding that police were probing his abandonment.

“It is believed that two people dumped him in Gikui market, with instructions to trace his relatives. Security agents are pursuing various leads to establish who was behind the incident.”

Mr Mwangi, the assistant chief of Nyakahura, said none of the people Wakarwa had identified as his agemates and whom he said he used to watch football matches with were known in the villages.

“The stories given by the old man are not adding up, but we shall continue to help him search for his relatives."