Izava Walk : Gold at Viyalo

Izava would measure three and more metres width. The banks were wide and deepening making it hard to cross on foot. Men however kept their drive to seek gold. The grinding machines of Viyalo mines spoilt the air.

A road ended at the river and great guava bushes adorned the ridge where gold was first discovered in 1931 by Mabiri. That is the corrupted name of the white. Weligina is also a corrupted name 'of stone'. And when maragoli circumcised in I932 they called it Ifedha. The whole of Viyalo is a rocky place with mines going 80 feet deep to branch sideways. As many men from Vihiga, Tiriki, Kakamega, Nandi, Somali and Luo arrive in the morning to spend the day there or go in at evening to come out in the morning. Down there, without the help of a torch to look at the watch you wouldn't know whether it was day or night. Kids were around trying their luck by the river. If the supervisors weren't strict, they'd want to descend in the mines.

The harvested stones are dried and grinded. Much labour is involved because gold isn't easily extracted from the stones. Some buyers risk to buy the dugouts at this juncture while others wait. Women at Viyalo seemed to do the buying, the broker part as men walked about in gumboots and dirty regalia.

Increased soil and rock deposits to Izava has made it rise up, exposing it to the greedy April sun. Water generators that are forever pumping water out pour such soiled water that it would be betted had it been directed to a reservoir. Izava depended on surface water, the levels of water passed in the mines were after the first and second levels.

Several streams joined Izava on this stretch before Wamage - Vigina Bridge. Saini stream from Mugango joined Eluya from Mukingi to flow in Izava. Vigina stream had its source in Vigina. Earlier on Wamaranda stream from Viyalo up had flowed in. Waludunga too ran a stream to Izava.