Day villagers mistook fighter pilot for black Jesus

Col (Rtd) Seth Shava at his residence in Nairobi, yesterday. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

“He is the One!” The cry burst unprompted from one of the people milling around Lieutenant Seth Shava. Several of his fellow villagers were already on their knees in supplication to the Air Force fighter pilot who had just ejected from his doomed plane. Others, however, stood a safe distance away, doubt etched on their faces.

As the debate raged on the afternoon of November 26, 1982, Shava was busy packing up his parachute that had saved his life moments earlier, setting him down unharmed in a villager’s garden.