When Joel Komba took his bicycle and pedaled over 380km from Nairobi to Lugari, in western Kenya, it was not for fun or an attempt to gauge his endurance. It was due to a desperate situation. He needed to see his ailing father, who has been bedridden for about a year now.
Sad state of my dad gives me strength to cycle
A casual laborer at the Industrial Area, Komba says that it saddens him seeing his dad in a feeble state, unable to fend for himself and his family, coupled with the pain of his illness.
This, the young man says, has fuelled him to cycle to Lugari, a chance he uses to see his dad and also take him to the hospital.
“It is not the first time. In January, I cycled home and then back to the city. Going home and a return trip back to the city would cost me about Sh4,000, money that my father needs for medication and food. So, I just cycle there. The money I would have otherwise spent on a bus, I use it to buy food or meds,” he told NewsDay Kenya.
The elusive, poignant, and fleeting Father’s Tears
His most recent trip to Lugari was on Saturday, April 19, leaving Nairobi at around 6:00 am and arriving in Lugari the following day at around 4:00 pm.
Strapped on the rear seat of his bike was a sack with his clothes and some liquid soap he was taking home as a gift to his parents. During the journey, he kept updating his progress on Facebook, with his friends cheering him on.
Braving the elements
“The journey is not easy—rain, scorching sun, loneliness, and hunger all stare at me. But the need to see my father and buy him medicine keeps me going,” he continued.
Komba says that on the evening of Saturday, he sought shelter near Kamara Forest, where he was hosted for free at a restaurant where he had gone to take some tea.
“While eating, I told them my story. They sympathised with me, and they offered me a place to sleep. I rested and embarked on the journey the following day at 7am,” he narrated.
The young man says that initial tests conducted on his dad indicated that he was battling cancer. However, a second opinion from doctors at another hospital suggested that the old man was poisoned.
Currently, he can’t feed through his mouth, so the doctors have made an opening on his belly through which liquid food is introduced into his stomach.
“The food must be blended for him to consume. But we don’t have electricity, neither do we have a blender at home. So after cooking, we take it to a neighbour who blends it for us, and then we are able to feed mzee. Without his meds, he becomes so feeble. My mother can’t go to work, since she has to take care of him on a full-time basis. We are eight siblings, but life is complicated, so most of the time, it is only me who pitches in to help my parents,” he continued.
Life has changed for the worst, please help my dad
According to Komba, his father’s illness has turned around his life, complicating the already tough financial situation he was in.
“My sisters have kids who stay with my mother. All these mouths depend on me to feed them, yet I also have my family. It is not easy. That is why I try to save any coin. I dont make much, my job is to do heavy lifting of chemical containers at Industrial Area. I can’t seek my dad in this state and do nothing.”
According to Komba, he plans to cycle back to Nairobi on Saturday, April 26. He has pleaded with Kenyans and well-wishers to sympathise with him and assist his father to get decent treatment for his ailment.
He claims that currently, they are only managing the symptoms and not addressing the root cause of the problem. Komba can be reached on 0702665068.
