Let us start by
having a hike across the county. It is a small county and one can reach all
corners in a week by only using a bicycle. We are at Kaimosi, the old town. The
forest is too small to make an arboretum. The only fenced compounds has owners either working internationally or serving high government
positions. They are not many. The one-time missionary college does not match
the next home to sharp heads from Chavakali, Nyang’ori, Vokoli, Bunyore and
equally best high schools. For a first timer, the place does not match the hype
it has in lands away; same as Chavakali.
Senator Khaniri
braggs of Nandi-Serem-Jivaswa road. It could only pass by his gate among other
shrub fences. It joins Shamakhokho on Kapsabet-Chavakali road. We will leave it
and pass at Senende market. On the road we will see men and women changing vivambo. The cows are as old as children
around but with no bodies to show. Hope keeps rearing them.
The sounds of
coming and going motorcycles keeps a road user always disturbed in his thoughts
lest he finds himself in hospital. Motorcycles have the right of way. They are
many in the county than any other economical activity. No helmets are worn and
to ask one is to sound foreign. Is it the disposal county of faulty motors in
the capital?
Hamisi as a sub
county has a legendary story but no building or enterprise to prove it. No
businesses are transacted in the buildings that posters seem bigger than. Do
people who visit the offices even get help? Or the offices are full of
referring?
One lady, a
friend, who came around for burial wondered how the whole population of
Wengondo and Gisambai, full of stones could be living in mud houses at this
time! People don’t even have compounds decorated of stones. We even lack
marksmanship on the stones! There are no men who can do art and craft on them
for philanthropy or income.
But on the road
in Chango are brewing points where the youths and primary school teachers pay
tribute every day to burn their desperations away. If a roll was taken in
Vihiga County among the male, approximately 90% of its population are active in
backdoor alcoholism from an equal percentage unemployed. You won’t cycle long
before you find a man on the road asleep apart from the staggering ones. Women
of the county are very submissive and most poor.
The role of
private sector has been of a struggle. Organisations as VICODEC in Sabatia and
Xposha in Chavakali through their various initiatives are limited with
expertise among other resources. One program called Healthy Choices run by
Exposure targeting the young youths in schools wasn’t taken seriously by
participants in one session I attended. For the new supermarket in the area,
will the salts not harden on the shelves?
Is Daraja mbili
part of Vihiga? The road that connects Kiboswa to Kisumu-Busia road is called
what? The junction is in a bad state despite being the main PAG church center.
One can’t refresh there for a bottle of soda and snacks. Anyway, the road, well
tarmacked, has not opened any enterprise since. It is waiting for Kisumu to get
full.
I wonder why
people complain that Luanda should be the county’s centre due to its increased
business transactions when only one Nissan at a time takes the Viyalo road.
There is a difference between administration and business. Give the two supports,
not politics.
It gets interesting
on the way to Eregi where the county connects to Kakamega. The college has
time-in and time-out produced local teaching staff that has only been best in
maintaining status quo of poor education around. Avisukha and Vidakho, as we
celebrate our Luhya roots, aren’t they the minority groups? Do children from
there go to colleges and universities?
We should not
forget Chavakali, famous due to the secondary school. Shops are in order,
preserving a colonial picture of the first shops. Not even Ambwere’s efforts
can change a face of a rigid picture. When the Kakamega-Kisumu road will be
fully functional and the county staff bought many cars, traffic will encroach
and mothers who sell groceries by the roadside will find customers. Keveye will
cease to be a rush point to a stopping point.
The other
places are not different. Wangulu, Kima, Vihiga, Mago, Busali, Bugina, Busweta,
Gahumbwa, Kegoye, Majengo among other rough road accessed places raise youths
who do not know their roots. Youths aren’t occupied. They gather to speculate
on reproduction with results being teen pregnancies. And if you ever needed a
book shop or a library to study, the county is sorry for you. It is developing.
The county’s
primary institutions- families, primary schools, leadership and churches are to
pull up their socks. Weak families raise weak children. The tradition of
performing poorly in primary schools should be unwelcome. Unchallenged leaders
whose every sunrise and set is same should be relegated to advisory committee
and not an active one. If the churches were something to change, they would be
commissioned to have resource centers and on every gathering instead of
spreading myths about God, people should be taught and challenged on better
agricultural practices among other growth aimed knowledge.
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