Mzee Joseph Odongo left home in 1972 after a small quarrel between him and his elder brother at Riwa village in Homa Bay Town constituency.
He was 30 years old then. Family members and some relatives knew he went to engage in fishing activities on another beach after leaving Sikri and Soklo beaches and they looked for him in vain.
His sister-in-law Matasia Akello, aged 90 said many of them thought Odongo had died.
She said the disappearance of Odongo made others lose hope of looking for him but she always prayed that Odongo would come back home.
“I had difficulties believing he was dead. I would pray he returns home alive,” Akello said.
Last week, Odongo returned home after staying away for 51 years surprising many.
No one below 60 years could recognise him when he returned home as everyone who was born after he left only heard about him but never saw him.
“I moved to Mombasa to enable me to stay away from my brother. I never wanted to be in constant squabbles with him,” Odongo said.
Because communication was a problem then, it was difficult to trace Odongo. His family ruled that he might have died.
On Saturday, during a celebration to mark his return and reunion with the family, Odongo said he had been living in Likoni.
He said he went to Mombasa and got employed as a caretaker at the home of a mzungu (European).
According to the senior citizen, life on the Coast was easy as compared to living in Homa Bay. This made him forget all the troubles he had at their rural home.
“I forgot all the frustrations I was going through while at home as I focused on my work,” Odongo said.
His employer would occasionally leave for Europe and stay there for more than two years.
He added that though he thought about his family back at home, he did not bother to communicate with them as that would make him remember their differences with his elder brother.
The elder brother he differed with is now deceased. Odongo said his employer is currently in Europe and has not come.
The 81-year-old mzee said the idea of him returning home came after his employer failed to return to Mombasa. Odongo said he found his more than five acres of land grabbed.
“I left everything I had, including my salary which was due. I have reported to our area chief that I want my land back,” he said.
Odongo said he does not intend to go back to Mombasa, saying he wants to settle at his home.
West Kanyada location chief Kenneth Achieng said the man walked to his office located at Kabunde seeking help.
“He claimed to be from the village and could describe the geographical area. But I could not recognise him,” Achieng said.
Some of the names he mentioned are of people who had already died.
The chief then sought the help of some senior citizens who could recognise him.
Achieng promised that he would look over the matter and ensure the senior citizen repossesses his property.
