This archive report was first published on 1 November 2019.
On October 29, a family in Gatundu North welcomed back their long-lost son, Lawrence Njuguna, who had been away for 35 years.
Njuguna, now 76, had been living in Tanzania and working as a sand harvester. He revealed that he had been thinking about his family but felt guilty about leaving them.
He said he was unable to return home earlier due to lack of money, but a volunteer eventually helped him with some funds.
When Njuguna arrived at his home, he was met with skepticism by his brother's wife, Hannah Wangari, who questioned whether he was indeed who he claimed to be.
However, his brother recognized him, and they welcomed him with open arms.
Njuguna was saddened to learn that two of his children had passed away while he was away. He had left his family when his wife, Mary Nyathira, was heavily pregnant, and she had to fend for their children alone.
Despite the challenges he faced, Njuguna expressed relief at being back home with his family.
His eldest son, Joel Irungu, had taken on the responsibility of caring for the family after Njuguna left. Irungu had searched for his father for many years but had been unable to find him.
According to Citizen Digital, Njuguna had been living in Tanzania for over 35 years, working as a sand harvester. He had previously worked as a casual laborer in Kajiado County and later sold charcoal to make a living.
