Celebrating a couple who built more than a home. They helped build us.
Some people teach you the alphabet. Others teach you values. Mrs. Machogu taught us both. And somehow made the multiplication table feel like a moral lesson.
Mr. and Mrs. weren’t just a couple in the neighborhood. They were the neighborhood.
Mr. Machogu, the quiet strategist. He once ran a chicken business in Kisii. With Ksh. 15,000 in hand from the sale of his feathered assets, he bet on Nairobi. (Spoiler alert: it worked.)
He became an Accountant
The kind who didn’t just count coins but made them count. He used overtime pay, which is a concept foreign to many millennials. With this, he bought land and built a home in the ’90s.
He had no soft life and took no shortcuts.
Mrs. Machogu, on the other hand, didn’t need capital to make a lasting impression. She had chalk, a cane, and a terrifyingly precise memory of who hadn’t mastered the multiplications table.
But oh, she also had heart
The kind that showed up. Stayed late, corrected your grammar, your math, and sometimes… your attitude.
They moved into our estate in 1993. We thought they were our neighbours. Turns out, they were pillars. They nurtured faith, family, and futures.
One overstayed meal. One stern look and one scripture memory at a time.
On 21st Nov 2021
We came back. Not to ask, but to thank. We brought stories. Gifts. And a few kilos of gratitude. While there we had laughs. Moments of pause. Reflection. And joyful tears.
Because not everyone gets to say “thank you” to the people who made them who they are.
We wrapped up with prayer and more stories.
Luke 2:25 came to mind. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him.
The Machogus waited too. For doors. For breakthroughs. For fruit. And when it came, they didn’t just enjoy it. They shared it. With us.
A Tragic Turn
It is with overwhelming grief that we now write these words:
Pius Machogu (72) and Jerusha Kwamboka (70), the very Mr. & Mrs. Machogu we honour in this story, were murdered in September 2025, at their home in Elburgon.
According to reports, their farmhand confessed to the killing and disposal of their bodies in a well within their compound. Investigations are ongoing, with their house help still missing.
This shocking news has shaken us deeply
To lose both parents, friends, and mentors in such a manner is almost unbearable. We pray for comfort for their children, their extended family, and all of us who called them neighbors and role models.
For more details…
- Read: Farmhand confesses to killing elderly couple — Standard Media.
- Watch: Family in Elburgon, Nakuru loses parents in brutal murder linked to shamba-boy – KTN News
So here’s to the Machogus
And every unsung hero who gave us roots before we grew wings.
You taught us to multiply. We are still counting the blessings, even through the tears.
📚Read other inspiring legacy stories:
- 2024: The Bell Rang, We Came Back: Honoring Ruai Primary Teachers
- 2023: Laughter, Chalk & Legacy: Honoring Our Ruai Primary Teachers – Year 3!
- 2022: When the Students Give Back: Ruai Primary Reunited, Retired, and Remembered
- 2021: Nine Families, Countless Blessings: A Journey Back to Those Who Raised Us
#MachoguLegacy #WaitPatiently #VillageGratitude #FaithInAction #MultiplicationAndMiracles #ChickenToCareer #Luke2v25 #GratitudeVisit #KenyanUnsungHeroes
Joseph Ngaara is inspired by people’s life experiences. Do you have an intriguing life story and need to share your triumph or tragedy? Email: j.mungai@hotmail.co.uk
So So Sorry To The Family And The Church Fraternity.
My Sincere Condolences