Father reunites with ‘lost’ sons after ‘Nation’ narrates wife’s ordeal in Saudi Arabia
Mr Justin Baraza when he reunited with his sons in Naivasha. A story about his wife's ordeal in Saudi Arabia gave him the hint about where to look for his sons, from whom he had been separated since January 2014 after their mother ran away with them. PHOTO | JOYCE KIMANI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- He did not know the whereabouts of his sons until the Daily Nation ran an article about his wife's ordeal in Saudi Arabia.
- He last saw the two boys in January 2014 after their mother fled and ran away with them.
- Baraza travelled to Naivasha to look for his children as the article had mentioned where his wife, Jackline Wangari, lived.
Justin Baraza could not hide his excitement after he was reunited with his two children, aged seven and three in Naivasha.
He last saw the boys in January 2014 after their mother fled and ran away with them.
However, Mr Baraza did not know the whereabouts of his sons until the Daily Nation ran an article about his wife, who had recounted how she escaped from her abusive employers in Saudi Arabia.
“I did not even know she was in Saudi Arabia. I learnt of it from the papers.
"Immediately, I started wondering where my sons were and began the process of tracing them,” he said.
Baraza travelled to Naivasha from Kisumu in an attempt to find his children, as the article had mentioned where his wife, Jackline Wangari, lived.
TROUBLED MARRIAGE
He admitted that he had disagreements with her in the seven years that they had been married.
He, however, kept the children’s interest at heart and was out to protect them.
“When I came to Naivasha, I did not know anyone. However, I went to the Naivasha children’s department and they referred me to the Kabati assistant chief.
“When I arrived at her office, I was told she was away on official duties. However, I was walking around deep in thought when I heard a child scream “daddy” as he run towards me.
"When I looked, I saw my seven-year-old son Brian Nevide and his three-year-old brother Bruce McDonald running towards me. I was relieved. We hugged and cried until people stopped to look at us,” said the overwhelmed father.
PART OF HIS LIFE
He said that the children had been a dear part of his life and could not imagine how they survived when their mother was away.
“I had no idea that their mother had left the country. I felt so heartbroken and felt for my sons.
"I could not imagine how the young children were surviving without any parental care.
"In fact, I longed to be next to my children so much that I was emotionally tortured and spent sleepless nights thinking what could have had happened to them,” he added.
Baraza, a casual worker in Kisumu, said that he had always provided food and shelter to the children.
He had documentation of payments he had been making to the schools that the firstborn son attended prior to their disappearance.
“I love my children very much. I am happy to be next to them. They are my world,” he added.
Efforts to trace the children’s mother for comment were unsuccessful.
