Kenyan Security Guard Appeals for Family Reunion Four Decades After Fleeing Poverty
Kakuma, 21 October 2026
After leaving Turkana in the late 1980s to escape severe famine, 70-year-old security guard Etot Eng’ori Abulero has launched a public appeal to locate his long-lost family.
A Four-Decade Journey Driven by Economic Hardship
Between 1987 and 1989, severe food shortages and acute economic distress forced Etot Eng’ori Abulero to make the difficult choice to leave his ancestral home in Kakuma, Turkana West Sub-County [1][2]. At the time, he departed in search of gainful employment to support his household, leaving behind his wife, Lochii, and their two young children, Jacob Etot and Ajikon [1][2]. The economic pressures facing pastoral communities in northern Kenya during the late 1980s frequently compelled household heads to migrate towards regional economic hubs in search of labour opportunities [GPT].
The Public Appeal for Family Reunion
On 20 October 2026, Eng’ori publicly launched an emotional appeal to trace his family after nearly four decades of separation [1][2]. He believes that his wife Lochii and his two children—who are now in their early 40s, roughly 39 years after his initial departure—are residing in Todonyang, located within Turkana North Sub-County [1][2]. Despite the decades spent working away from his homeland, his determination to restore these long-lost family ties remains strong [1][2].