Family Of Kakamega Man Who Returned Home After 17 Years Says He's Not Mentally Okay: "Don't Judge"

• The family of the man who returned to his wife after going missing for 17 years now asks for leniency from Kenyans judging him harshly
• Boniface returned to his native home after leaving in 2006, leaving behind his wife and children
• His elder brother, Wycliffe Makokha, who strived to trace him, says the man has had mental challenges before

Kakamega county - The family of the man who returned home after a decade and seven years has revealed the mental challenges he had before leaving home in 2006.

Wycliffe Makokha says that his younger brother, identified as Boniface Makokha, had endured mental illness.

He clarified that Boniface went missing while in Nairobi, where he had been hosted by one of his cousins.

"He is my younger brother. He became mentally challenged while at home. We strived to treat him and he finally got well. Our cousin came from Nairobi and came here to see him. He decided to take him to Nairobi to find work. So he left home while mentally fit. But we were later told that he went missing, and that is when we suspected he developed the mental illness again," said Wycliffe in an interview with Pashwa TV.

Wycliffe went on to narrate that their effort to look for their kin proved futile and they gave up on him.

He said they had bought the belief that Boniface might have died and his body dumped in an unknown place.

Their parents died while still searching for him.

They were able to trace him to Mau, Meru county, where he was found not in so good a state.

Boniface brought joy to the neighbourhood and his family as the happy crowd that had gathered awaiting his return carried high him up in the air.

Living without father for over decade

His wife, who had given up on him since he had been away for 17 years, was equally excited to see the love of her life.

However, her husband's return made her make a tough decision as he had a lover with whom they also shared a kid.

"We were so happy, we have so much peace in our hearts, and even his children were happy because they knew they had no father. I had given up hope and said he was no more," she said.

Marrying Rwandese after mum dies

The lady said she had remained single for five years and needed a man but first sought the counsel of her family members.

She said they did not want her to remarry, but after her mother's death, she moved in with another man, a Rwandese named John.

"He helped me educate my kids. When my child lacked food, John would send some money to buy shopping. However, when I heard about the return of my husband, I had to talk to my lover," she said.

Chasing lover away with child

She informed her lover that her husband had returned, and they had to give him respect because it was his home.

She did not chase her lover away but asked him to stay for a while and take his time as he planned.

"He listened and looked for his house. I advised him to take our child because my husband would not educate him," she noted.