Missing for 60 years: Kakamega family stunned after man, 99, returns home
Mr Boniface Muhandia, 99, is received by his relatives in Eshisari village in Mumias East, Kakamega County, on June 22, 2025.
A man who went missing 60 years ago shocked his family when he returned home to Eshisari village in Mumias East, Kakamega County.
Mr Boniface Muhandia, who left home in 1965 at the age of 39, returned aged 99, bringing an end to his family's six-decade-long agony and uncertainty.
His family had long believed he was dead, so his unexpected return was met with emotional scenes of joy, song and tears.
Mr Muhandia had left Kenya for Uganda in search of better work opportunities, having trained as a mason. He initially settled in Busoka, before moving to Kampala where he spent most of his life. He maintained sporadic contact with his family through letters, but communication eventually ceased.
“I went to Uganda looking for work, and although I found life manageable, I achieved very little. I never imagined that when I returned, I would find that my wife and sons were all dead,” he said.
He arrived with only a walking stick and a small suitcase and was barely recognised by his surviving family members.
Mr Boniface Muhandia, 99, outside his brother's house at Eshisari village in Mumias East on June 22, 2025.
His wife, Kelemendia Adhiambo, had joined him in Uganda briefly in the late 1970s, where they had two more children. She later returned to Kenya, where she passed away two years ago alongside two of their sons and Mr Muhandia’s mother. They were all buried in his absence.
"I used to send letters through Posta Kenya, but after we lost contact, I never received any news. I didn't even know whether they were still alive,” he added.
His house had long since collapsed, forcing him to seek shelter at his younger brother’s house. While he was away, John Atako, aged 89, took care of Muhandia's family.
"I always believed he was still alive and prayed for his return. Raising his children was difficult, especially after his wife returned from Uganda with two more children. We even buried his wife and children when they died,” said Mr Atako.
Mr Muhandia initially struggled to recognise his home, so family members had to guide him around familiar landmarks to help jog his memory.
His youngest brother, Peter Wabuti (86), explained that Muhandia had been brought back by a Good Samaritan who had found him wandering in Entebbe.
“She cared for him for four years. When he expressed a wish to return home, she helped trace his family using the details he provided,' said Mr Wabuti.
The last time the brothers had met was in 1976 when Mr Muhandia returned briefly to facilitate a land succession process.
"For years, we debated whether to declare him dead and hold a symbolic burial according to Luhya customs. Now fate has brought him back,” he added.
Mr Boniface Muhandia at his brother's home in Eshisari village, Mumias East on June 22, 2025.
In such cases, families traditionally bury banana stems in place of the missing person during a mock funeral.
His return has sparked celebrations throughout the village, and his youngest son, Protus Makokha, is now helping to build him a new house.
“I do not wish to return to Uganda. I just want to settle here, rebuild my life, and start a family again,” said Muhandia.