A Kenyan man who had spent four years working abroad is now grappling with betrayal and financial devastation after returning home to discover that KSh 8 million he had sent to his brother to build a house had vanished — with no construction to show for it.

Speaking to Viral Nation Hub under anonymity, the 38-year-old returnee says he had entrusted his elder brother with overseeing a residential project on family land in Bomet.

“We agreed he’d handle everything — from purchasing materials, hiring fundis, to managing the site,” he said. “Every month, I sent money. Some months even KSh 200,000.”

Over the four-year period, he estimates having sent just over KSh 8 million, generated from his job in the logistics industry in the UAE, where he worked 16-hour shifts in harsh weather conditions.

“He Sent Photos. I Thought It Was Real.”

The returnee says he had received photo updates, receipts from hardware stores, and even short videos allegedly showing progress on the house.

“He used photos from other construction sites. I didn’t know. He even used Photoshop to put our names on a fake building plan,” he says.

Upon returning to Kenya earlier this year, what greeted him was an untouched, overgrown piece of land. The alleged construction never happened.

“There was no house. Not even a foundation. Just the same plot we had from before.”

The brother, who had since moved to another town, could not provide clear answers.

A Pattern of Betrayal

This case is not isolated. According to the Kenya Diaspora Alliance (KDA), dozens of similar complaints are made annually, involving trusted family members mismanaging or embezzling diaspora remittances meant for investments back home.

Remittances from Kenyans abroad hit over KSh 630 billion in 2023, making the diaspora Kenya’s top foreign exchange earner, ahead of tea, coffee, and tourism. But alongside this success lies a dark undercurrent of misuse and fraud.

Legal and Emotional Fallout

The victim says he considered legal action but was advised against it by family elders.

“They said I’d shame the family. They want me to forgive and move on. But how do you move on from losing everything?”

He has since moved in with friends in Nairobi as he rebuilds his life. His plans of retiring back home have been shelved indefinitely.

Conclusion

As more Kenyans seek opportunities abroad, their contributions to the economy remain undeniable. But without robust systems, trust is being exploited, and dreams are being stolen — often by those closest to them.

“I didn’t just lose money,” the returnee says. “I lost my brother. I lost time. I lost hope.”