106-Year-Old Nandi Woman Credits Traditional Diet and Peace of Mind for Longevity

Sarah Wanja, a 106-year-old woman from Kapsabet, remains active and mentally sharp, embodying a living link to Kenya’s rich history. Born in 1920 during the colonial era, she has witnessed the country’s journey through independence and social transformation.

A Life Intertwined with Kenya’s History

Sarah is a mother of 14 and was married to a man who served as a colonial police officer before becoming a personal bodyguard to Kenya’s first president, Jomo Kenyatta. She also performed in an entertainment group for Kenyatta, placing her family close to the nation’s founding moments.

The family endured hardships, including her husband’s detention during the 1952 State of Emergency, a turbulent period in Kenya’s colonial past. Sarah visited him in Kapenguria prison, experiencing firsthand the struggles of that era.

Discipline and Traditional Living

Her children recall a household marked by firm discipline and strong values, which shaped their upbringing. Sarah credits her longevity to a diet rooted in traditional foods like nduma (arrow roots) and finger millet ugali, which she believes keep her strong and healthy.

She continues to farm and walk independently, attributing her well-being to both her diet and a peaceful, calm state of mind cultivated over the years.

For Sarah, maintaining inner peace has been as vital as nutrition, reflecting a life that has endured both joy and hardship with resilience.