Missing 89-year-old grandpa reunites with family in Trans Nzoia

Jason Omboto, 89, who went missing from Trans Nzoia East sub county for five days. [Osinde Obare, Standard]

It was tears of joy in Sinyereri village, Trans Nzoia county when an 89-year-old man who had gone missing for five days reunited with his family.

Jason Omboto disappeared from Trans Nzoia East sub-county headquarters where she had gone to seek help on stipends for the elderly.

The man's son Samson Nyarangi, had escorted him to the Deputy County Commissioner's office to change the ATM card he uses to receive the stipends when he went missing.

Janet Mokeira said Nyarangi had left her father seated under a tree outside the DCC's office and walked to the offices to inquire about the procedures of changing to the ATM only to come back and find his father missing.

"My brother had escorted our father to the DCC's office in order to change the ATM card when he went missing," Mokeira told the Standard.

Family members and neighbours split into groups and made a search for the old man.

"We contacted our relatives and searched various places including Kapchorop in Elgeyo Marakwet, but our mission was fruitless," said Mokeira.

The family also filed a missing person’s report at Kachibora police station.

As the search continued, the family received a call from a relative in Geta, 50km from Sinyereri village, that Omboto had been found stranded at Suwerwa trading centre.

"We called off the search after we received information from one of our uncles John Keraro that our dad had been found," Mokeira told the Standard.

Stories were told that the old man strayed to a home a few kilometres from the DCC's office where the owner of the homestead had organised a party for his friends.

Nobody thought the old man had strayed to the home and was served as one of the guests.

The old man reportedly left the home and trekked to Kachibora township where he spent the night in the cold.

The next morning, he hit the road to Suwerwa thinking he is headed home.

It is here where a resident noticed that Omboto was fatigued, hungry and thirsty.

The resident offered Omboto water and food before he alerted the local assistant chief.

The administrator tried to interrogate Omboto to find out where he hails from, but he could not explain.

He summoned elders from Omboto's ethnic background to interrogate him to trace his home.

It was a moment of excitement and tears of enjoyment in Sinyereri village when Omboto arrived home while escorted by Keraro.

"I felt life has returned to me. Our dad's appearance cured our agony, and we thank God for bringing him back home safe," Mokeira said.

Nyarangi added, "His disappearance has been haunting me. It has been hard to explain to people how my father went missing while he was with me.”

According to Mokeira, their father suffered a memory lapse.

Elders led by Keraro said they will conduct a cleansing ceremony to prevent the incident from happening again.

Mokeira told the Standard the family has bought a white goat which will be slaughtered during the ceremony.