After 40 Years In US, 70-Year-Old Uncle Alexander Returns To Mansion He Cannot Climb

AFTER 40 YEARS IN THE US, 70-YEAR-OLD UNCLE ALEXANDER RETURNS HOME TO A MANSION HE CAN BARELY ACCESS

The story of 70-year-old Uncle Alexander Kimakia, who returned to Kenya after spending more than four decades in the United States, has sparked mixed reactions online.

40 years in America. 40 years of hustling. 40 years of dreaming of home. And now he is home. But he cannot enjoy home.

Alexander spent nearly 10 years constructing a five-bedroom mansion at Mushroom Gardens Estate along Kiambu Road, hoping to enjoy a comfortable retirement back home.

Ten years building. Ten years sending money. Ten years calling fundis. Ten years imagining himself sitting on his balcony, drinking tea, enjoying retirement.

He built a five-bedroom mansion. Big house. Beautiful house. Mushroom Gardens Estate, Kiambu Road. A dream house for a dream retirement.

However, mobility challenges have made climbing the stairs difficult, leaving him largely confined to the downstairs living room since all five bedrooms are on the upper floor.

He cannot climb the stairs. All five bedrooms are upstairs. He is 70 years old. His knees are tired. His legs are weak. So he sleeps downstairs. He lives downstairs. In a five-bedroom mansion, he is confined to the living room.

Imagine building a mansion for 10 years, then you cannot climb to your own bedroom. Imagine spending millions, then you cannot enjoy it. That is the pain of Uncle Alexander.

His experience has reignited debate about retirement planning, with some arguing that people in the diaspora should not postpone enjoying life until old age.

Kenyans in the diaspora are now debating. Some say Uncle Alexander made a mistake. They say do not wait until 70 to come home. Come home at 40. Come home at 50. Enjoy your house while your knees still work. Enjoy your money while you still have energy.

They say diaspora people sacrifice too much. They work two jobs. They skip holidays. They skip life. They send all money home to build a big house. Then when they finally come home, they are old, sick, tired. They cannot enjoy the house.

Others are defending him. They say do not mock Uncle Alexander. They say he worked hard. He achieved his dream. He built a house in Kenya. Many diaspora people build houses and never even come home. At least he came home. At least he has a house.

They say the problem is not the house. The problem is planning. Why build all bedrooms upstairs? Why not build a bedroom downstairs? Why not build a bungalow for retirement? Why not build a lift?

That is the lesson. If you are building for retirement, build for old age. Build a bungalow. Build a bedroom downstairs. Build a house you can live in at 70, at 80, at 90.

But also, Kenyans are asking: Is it worth it to suffer in the US for 40 years for a house you cannot climb? Should we enjoy life now, not later?

Uncle Alexander’s story is sad. But it is also a lesson for every Kenyan in diaspora. For every Kenyan hustling abroad. For every Kenyan building at home.

Do not postpone life. Do not wait until 70 to live. Live now. Visit home now. Enjoy now. Build smart now.

To Uncle Alexander: We celebrate you. You worked hard. You came home. May God give you strength and good health to enjoy your mansion.

Diaspora people, what do you think? Would you wait 40 years to come home? Or would you come home early?

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