Man presumed 'lost' returns home after 43 years of vain wealth hunt

Omondi Mbura 83, when The Standard visited him at his brother's home in Tonga village, Nyamaiya in Nyamira County on December 29,2015. Omondi has been away for 43 years without coming home. (Photo: Denish Ochieng/ Standard)

A man who was presumed "lost" after he left his home in Nyamaiya division 43 years ago on a treasure hunt resurfaced on Christmas Day in a wasted condition.

Omondi Mbura, now 83, left his home at Tonga village in Nyamaiya division within Nyamira County to look for greener pastures in North Rift that turned into a wild-goose chase.

For over four decades, his family did not lose hope of seeing him alive. They kept praying.

And on his return, family members and villagers could not recognise him as he had a haggard frame and was walking with the support of a stick due to his old age.

His younger and only brother whom he left while newly married has equally grown old and has adult sons and daughters. Some of them, on hearing the news of their uncle's return, travelled from different parts of the country to go and see him after many years.

The old man, who claims he was doing menial jobs in different parts of North Rift and Western Kenya, has nothing to show for it.

He thanks God for sparing his life for the period he was away.

"I travelled to places and survived many things. I am poorer than when I left," said Omondi.

A one-year-old child he left in his village would now be 44 years old. Most villagers were new to him as most of his peers are long dead.

He could not even recognise his sister-in-law.

Mbura says he has never attempted to marry as he was busy looking for elusive wealth.

But all his not lost as his five-hectare land that was his inheritance is still intact.

His nephew, Joseph Ombui, said they got to know of his whereabouts five years ago but persuading him to return home was an uphill task.

When he finally returned, however, he could not locate his home and had to ask for directions.

His neighbour Nyaundi Kinyosi said the reception was good since he had no criminal record.

Currently, he says he does farming on a section of land he is taking care of in Eldoret town where he insists he must go back and be allowed to harvest his crops.

At his age, he says he has no marriage plans.

"If I go back, I will be visiting my people twice or thrice a year," he said with a smile.

But he demands that his immediate family members build him a house on his land before he leaves again.

He says because of the days he has lived on earth, he wants to shun smoking and drinking, become "a born-again Christian" and start to participate in church activities. Before he left, he was a staunch SDA church member.

Currently, he is being accommodated in his younger brother's home.

"I was married and before I had my first-born, he left. Now I am very delighted to be his host. I have missed him for 43 years," said his sister-in-law Susan Nyachogo.

The home has been receiving visitors from the neighbourhood who just want to see one of their own who had been presumed "lost".