In the quiet village of Kapkures, a village far from water sources, resides an extraordinary man whose ingenuity has transformed his own life and the lives of his community members. John Muchina, a Kakamega man and seasoned farmer in his late seventies, has become a local hero for pioneering a remarkable water system that has brought abundance and prosperity to his homestead.

The Genesis of Innovation

John Muchina's story begins with a simple but profound challenge: access to clean water. Situated approximately 4 kilometers away from the nearest river, Muchina saw an opportunity rather than a setback. Armed with determination and resourcefulness, he conceived a plan to harness gravity and leverage technology to bring water to his doorstep.

Employing a combination of metallic and plastic pipes, Muchina engineered a system that gently guides water from the river down through the slopes to his homestead. This ingenious setup not only alleviated the burden of water collection but also ensured a steady supply of clean water for his farming activities.

A Home Overflowing with Prosperity

Today, Muchina's home is a testament to his hard work and foresight. Clean water flows effortlessly into every corner of his farm, nurturing lush banana plantations and thriving sugarcane fields that stretch as far as the eye can see. The once-parched land now blooms with abundance, providing sustenance for his family and neighbors who often come to fetch water.

Water is life," proclaims Muchina, his eyes gleaming with pride as he gestures towards the verdant landscape around him. "With water, we can grow anything. Our bananas are famous in the region, and the sugarcane brings in a good income all year round.

Family and Community Bonding

At the heart of Muchina's success lies his family. His sons Hezron Yaya, Seth Kataka, Fuchingo, and Simon Muchina, who stay with him, daughter-in-law Jelimo, and grandsons Ngishu and Hunnie are integral to the daily operations on the farm. Together, they work tirelessly to tend the crops, maintain the irrigation system, and ensure that the fruits of their labor continue to flourish.

"My grandchildren are my greatest joy," shares Muchina affectionately. "The money we earn from our farm helps to pay for their school fees. Education is the key to a brighter future, and I want to give them every opportunity I can."

Challenges and Triumphs

Of course, Muchina's journey has not been without its challenges. Building and maintaining the water system required considerable effort and financial investment. "There were times when we faced setbacks, especially during heavy rains or when the pipes needed repairs," admits Muchina. "But we persevered because we knew the importance of what we were doing."

Despite these obstacles, Muchina's resilience and determination have paid off manifold. His farm not only sustains his family but also serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration for the entire community. Neighbors often gather at his homestead not just for water but also for advice and camaraderie.

Looking Towards the Future

As Muchina gazes towards the horizon, his thoughts turn to the future. "I hope that our story can inspire others to think creatively and sustainably," he muses. "There is so much potential in our land if we care for it and work together."

With a glint of optimism in his eyes, Muchina envisions expanding his farm and perhaps even mentoring other farmers in similar endeavors. "Water is a precious resource," he emphasizes. "If we manage it wisely, we can create a better life not just for ourselves but for generations to come."

John Muchina's journey from water scarcity to abundance is a testament to the power of innovation, hard work, and community spirit. Through his pioneering efforts, he has not only transformed his own life but has also uplifted the lives of those around him. His story reminds us that with determination and ingenuity, even the most challenging circumstances can be overcome.

As we bid farewell to this remarkable man and his family, one cannot help but feel inspired by their resilience and unwavering commitment to sustainability. John Muchina's legacy will undoubtedly continue to ripple through the generations, leaving behind a greener, more prosperous world for all.

“It was quite emotional to arrive in the forest and be greeted by the group of farmers I had worked with from afar, ” said Mr. Serodio.

Read more

When Mr. Caleb Adembesa Malongo saw media images of displaced and distressed members of the Ogiek community, who have lived in and around the Mau Forest for centuries, he got worried that the government would one day forcefully evict his community from the Maragoli Hills Forest.

“What came to my mind was that now we are next. The government will evict us. Where will we go?” said Mr. Malongo.

He was born in 1958 in Idabwongo, one of the three villages within Maragoli Forest. The other villages are Muguva and Lodonyi.

The three villages occupy about 66 hectares of the forest and have been designated by the government as trust land. That means that the land is not owned by the community but by the Kenya Forest Service.

Although I haven’t seen official data on the number of indigenous people in the forest, a 2019 count, according to Mr. Malongo, revealed 600 homesteads within the trust land.

“We have lived here for centuries. In the past, our population was small, but it has grown over the years. That’s why you’re seeing encroachment of the hills,” said Mr. Malongo.

By the hills being encroached, Mr. Malongo meant that the trustees to his ancestral land were bound to inhabit areas beyond the trust land in the future.

For now, the government and its partners are busy trying to rehabilitate the water tower. But there is little to no mention of the plight of indigenous people who call the forest home. And that’s what worries Mr. Malongo. 

I met him in Egago village before we embarked on a short journey. We passed by a few homesteads, then a church. Soon, l was hit by an invigorating cool breeze. We had landed in the forest.

“After the destruction, gullies started to form. Now that we are rehabilitating the forest, there’s an improvement,” Mr. Malongo told me as we stopped to sit on a continuous line of stones closely packed together to form a gabion.

Around us were thin, short guava trees scattered among newly planted indigenous trees on the rugged landscape. A short distance away, people were tending to their farms in a few homesteads dotted within the rolling hills of the forest. It was a fascinating view.

“This area was rehabilitated by members of the Egago conservation group,” said Mr. Malongo.

Since 2017, he’s been the chairman of the Maragoli Hills Community Forest Association (CFA), an organization leading conservation efforts in the expansive hills. It comprises 14 groups drawn from the indigenous people and the community from around the forest. Their work is primarily to provide seedlings, plant the trees, and then carry out weeding and gabion-making when called upon.

The Forest’s Prime Days

Mr. Malongo recalled growing up in a lush landscape. At the time, 32 streams meandered under an endless canopy of indigenous trees, shrubs, and wild fruits.

Hunger was far from his community as the land yielded enough food. So fertile was the forest’s soil that fertilizers were never used. Rain would come from all directions, he said. 

Even though people coexisted harmoniously with nature, one thing disturbed the peace and deeply worries the community today, given that its return is eminent - human-wildlife conflict.

It was not unusual for forest dwellers to run into trouble with their wild counterparts. First off, monkeys would destroy their crops. But in 1990, one incident did irreversible damage to the collective psychology of Mr. Malongo’s community. He remembered, in graphic detail, how hyenas killed someone before eating the body in Gilwatsi, one of the villages adjacent to the forest.

I was laughing too until he interjected as if to correct himself: “For someone enlightened, someone who went to school like me, l cannot hate a tree. For anyone to hate a tree, they must be cursed.”

He had a reason to be proud of his education. It’s not something he acquired easily. For starters, it was not free, but his family was poor. There was no school within the forest, so he would walk several kilometers to Inavi Primarily School in a neighboring village, where he graduated in 1974.

Having done well, he was to join a boarding school for his secondary education where he would pay sh450 per year, but again, he couldn't because of poverty. He joined his dad in Nairobi, where he attended a day school instead. The fee was sh.50 per year.

Mr. Malongo said the rates of innumeracy and illiteracy increased in his community due to the poor infrastructure. He contended that he would not have acquired any education if his dad had not worked in Nairobi.

The Forest Receives Recognition and a Revamp To Its Demise

As Mr. Malongo transitioned in his studies, the forest underwent its share of transformative developments. By the time he graduated from high school in 1978, the government established a primary school in his village - Kisingilo.

Before that, the colonial regime recognized the forest as government property in 1957. This followed a gazette notice issued by Governor Sir Evelyn Baring on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II.

Then, in 1962, the colonial government launched a forceful forest rehabilitation. New species of trees, particularly pines, were added to the hills despite opposition from the indigenous people and the community. 

“The people opposed the project because they assumed that having more trees would result in a surge in human-wildlife conflict-related cases,” said Mr. Malongo.

By 1992, having attained self-rule, Kenya had turned 29, one year shy of the age of the new trees. The forest had changed, and so had the region. Vihiga was now a district headed by a District Commissioner (DC). It was a powerful position.

“The trees had matured, and it was reasonable to harvest them, but the approach of the DC was wrong. He came in with police officers and power saws, and they began cutting down the trees. Then, they carried timber away, leaving the community with nothing. Remember, the community had been forcefully mobilized to plant the trees,” lamented Mr. Malongo.

The DC at the time was Mr. Dave Mwangi. It is important to note that while l didn't interview Mr. Mwangi for this story, he has denied allegations of wrongdoing concerning the Maragoli Hills Forest in the past.

The DC’s move, Mr. Malongo said, opened the floodgates to wanton logging and mindless forest vandalism. So angry were the indigenous people and their neighbors that they, too, got into the woods to grab for themselves a share of their sweat - the trees. 

Soon, the woodland was being attacked from all sides. The destruction was widespread. Mr. Malongo remembered meeting people in the forest, from as far as Nyanza and Bunyore, felling trees, preparing timber, or burning charcoal. 

In three years, the forest and the unsavory wild animals were gone. But most of the intruders stayed put, grabbing plots for cultivation. Most of them planted maize, sorghum, and millet. And they reaped big, given that the soil had been fertile and untouched.

Unfortunately, the joy from large harvests was short-lived. By 1998, the soil had lost much of its nutrients to erosion thanks to the unhindered flow of rainwater through gullies. Mr. Malongo joked that the nutrients benefited the Egyptians because they were washed into Lake Victoria before winding up in the River Nile.

His homeland changed dramatically. It became hotter, and the air was not as fresh as before. Rain became scarce, and most rivers gradually dried up before disappearing. The land was craggy and cracky.

A Ray of Hope For The Forest and Ingenious People

For 12 years, Mr. Malongo and his community were confronted with the harsh reality of a disturbed biodiversity. They resorted to synthetic fertilizers, but to their disappointment, they didn’t compensate for the lost nutrients.

At first, a team from the Kenya Forestry Research Institute, KEFRI, toured the hills and collected some soil for testing. They wanted to know the right tree species for the land. Later, they planted some trees on a demonstration plot covering 6 hectares.

Then, the Vihiga County government, under Governor Wilber Ottichilo’s leadership, joined in, mobilizing locals to plant trees covering 30 acres. The national government was not left behind either, as the Ministry of Energy led planting trees on another 150 hectares of forest land.

Governor Ottichilo’s administration also established an office within the gazetted land. The office houses the Community Forest Association leadership and staff from the Kenya Forest Service and the county government.

As l sat down with Mr. Malongo early in February 2024, almost half of the 461-hectare degraded forest had been reforested, thanks to the county government and its partners.

But as the forest leaves the legacy of destruction behind, Mr. Malongo said that the government would soon be confronted by new challenges - encroachment and, eventually, conflict between the government and his community over the issue.

“There’s a danger that people will invade into forest land. The best thing is to relocate them. While some could be reluctant to relocate, they can still welcome the move after negotiations with the government,” said Mr. Malongo.

He lamented that although the government has in the past given assurances that the trust land belongs to his community, the indigenous people cannot use the property to acquire bank loans or sell it if they want to move elsewhere.  

“The people living here have national identity cards, indicating that they are Kenyans. They fully participate in national elections, so their concerns should be looked into,” said Mr. Malongo.

He implored the government to deal with the issue amicably.

“I see a very big difference between the Mau Forest and Maragoli Hills. In Mau, some people grabbed land and fraudulently acquired title deeds. But here, this is our ancestral land... The government should come up with a very good solution to ensure that people are not harassed,” said Mr. Malongo.

I reached out to Dr. Richard Boiyo, the Vihiga County government Chief Officer, Environment,  regarding Mr. Malongo's concerns. 

He said that while the indigenous people's worries are justified, they will be relocated humanely because the forest will be rendered "inhabitable" to them once it's fully recovered.

"The government is very understanding. They look at the pros and cons before relocating somebody. I do not think the government wants to hurt (the indigenous people)," said Dr. Boiyo.

He urged the indigenous community to continue supporting restoration efforts in the forest, saying that a decision about their fate would be made when "the right time" came.

As Mr. Malongo and l  prepared to leave the forest, one of the rivers in the hills continued to splash imposingly, unprovoked and unhindered by his concerns. It was a sign that the forest was clawing back to glory.

“The water table will come up. The soil will regain its fertility,” Mr. Malongo said happily, noting that over 90 percent of the trees planted were indigenous and required less water.

“Do you fear being evicted forcefully?” I asked him. And the hope in his eyes quickly faded.

“Yes!” He answered emphatically.

Herbal medicine involves the general use of medicinal plants by experts to treat, prevent, and enhance the general health and well-being of an individual. Herbal medicine can be used to treat and prevent diseases in both domestic animals and humans. However, in this article, the main focus is on humans. Different communities have…

Read more

As l got off the boda-boda at the gate to the Mbale Municipal Grounds, the loudspeaker blared Maragoli traditional music, setting the perfect mood for the day ahead. 

I had been looking forward to this day, and it had come: December 26, 2023. I was here to attend the annual Maragoli Cultural …

Read more

Mr. Wilson Koinange never imagined owning a coffee plantation. He is 83 years old now but aging. This was reserved for the white colonial masters under whose brutal regime he grew up. At the time, Africans were subservient to their White counterparts.

"We were not allowed to keep dairy cows or any other exotic cattle breeds. These were owned by White people, and only they could grow cash crops such as tea and coffee," Mr. Koinange tells me.

We are sitting in the pensioner's living room at Makanya Village near Mudavadi Girls' High School, Madzuu, in Vihiga County, Kenya. Listening intently are his wife and two of his children. Initially, they are particularly concerned about his "interviewee credentials," given his age. A few moments into the interview, however, the children quietly leave the room, clearly impressed by their dad's performance. Their mother follows them shortly.

Read more

If you have enjoyed the stories shared on this platform, please consider sharing with a friend!

Share Mulembe Online

Here’s to a wonderful 2024, we’ve got more great stories lined up for you.

Leave a comment

Vihiga County is a region located in the former Western Province of Kenya. The county has an area of 563 km² and a population of 554,622 (2009 census) making it one of the smallest counties in Kenya by land area. Vihiga County is bordered by Nandi to the east, Kisumu County to the south, Siaya County to the west, and Kakamega County to the north.

Vihiga …

Read more

We are pleased to announce the launch of our new YouTube channel. Our debut video takes you through the landscapes of Mbale in Vihiga County, offering a glimpse into its charm, cultural richness, and hidden gems.

Click below to dive in to an immersive experience that we hope you find engaging and inspiring.

Don’t forget to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE!

Kakamega county is among the top 10 food crop and cash crop-producing counties in Kenya. The climate in Kakamega county is classified as a tropical climate with a lot of rain throughout the year from March to November. Among the crops grown here include; Sugarcane, maize, beans, ground nuts and vegetables ( kales, capsicum, spinach, tomatoes, and cabbag…

Read more

Bungoma county, located in western Kenya is one of the highly populated areas in western Kenya. Just like many counties in western Kenya, Bungoma is home to culture and traditions. The inhabitants of this region ( mainly Bukusu) are staunch custodians of their culture and beliefs. This article has covered natural features in Bungoma county which are bot…

Read more

History

Pan-African Paper Mills, commonly known as Pan Paper, was the first and only ever established the paper factory in Western Kenya in the post-colonial period. It was referred to as “The engine of Western.” This was because of the major contribution of Pan-African paper mills to the economy of western Kenya. It not only contributed to the economy o…

Read more

The issue of unemployment is rampant in our society. Today many youths are unemployed which has led to many vices in society, among them being a high crime rate, drug trafficking, and corruption. As we struggle with emerging issues such as COVID-19, we tend to forget that there is another killer monster called unemployment which has killed so many youths physically, emotionally, and psychologically.  Today we have so many graduates without employment. The issue of employment has been left to the individual to either struggle to create their employment or wait for the government which might take one even two decades waiting.

In Mukhonje village which is in Kakamega county, we meet  Moses Namunyu who has ventured into woodworking despite him having a bachelor’s degree in engineering.  In an individual with him, he said he had to venture into the woodwork to create employment for himself as well as fellow villagers of Mukhonje village. He said it has taken him more than fifteen years out of university minus employment. He then decided to try woodworking, which was just his leisure activity. Furthermore, he had little, but he just started it.

“Since it was my hobby, I just started it with the little skills I had. I have gained a lot of experience while working. I can now make almost all types of furniture. Moreover, I teach young people how to make these items”

Moses Namunyu believes in hard work with focus. He says without a vision you can’t achieve anything. He has been working hard and encouraging young people in Mukhonje village to join him to acquire the good skills he has. Not only that, but he has trained almost two people who have now opened their woodwork shops elsewhere. Furthermore, he said he has been working hard to achieve his three-set goals:

Creating employment

He has created employment not only for himself but also for his fellow villagers whom he has trained in woodwork. Moreover, he buys his timber from the locality, which means he also promotes the local markets.
Bringing services closer to villagers
Moses has been one of the people in the village who has helped villagers get good access to furniture which was bought from other places such as Lwandeti, Webuye, and even Eldoret. Villagers can now get access to these products at even a lower price compared to those bought from other places. He has also cut down on their transport costs.

Rehabilitating the Youth

Some youths who had lost hope in life and resorted to drinking alcohol have now been kept busy. One of such young men is one who fetches timber from various places for him on his motorbike. Some other youths who were a threat to villagers because of them, being thieves, have also been rehabilitated. At Blessed woodwork company, there is no room for idleness. All people who work there are always busy with this or that from morning to evening. Mr. Moses says he does not like an idle mind because an idle mind harbors evil thoughts. He said he always wants everyone to be busy with his work. He also likes punctuality. Likewise, he opens his workshop at exactly 7 am, and he expects his employees and students to report at 8 am. Furthermore, he believes in the saying “the early bird catches the worm”I also asked  Moses why he thinks Blessed woodwork is the best company in Mukhonje village, and he said that he thought it is the best because it offers goods at pocket-friendly prices. He gave me an example of some furniture which are costly elsewhere, but he offers them at a good price. For example, a table costs three thousand shillings elsewhere, but he normally sells at one thousand eight hundred shillings. He said the prices attract customers. Another reason why he thought blessed woodwork is the best is that it is the only woodwork shop that teaches skills to other people. Mostly, many people who do woodworking just do it for business and will always charge an extra fee whenever they teach someone skills to do woodworking. On his side, he says he does not charge any fee. He does that to help his fellow villagers. Moreover, he said that he is a pastor. As a man of God who is doing woodwork, he is a role model to many because the Bible says that those who do not work should not eat. So, he encourages young people to put in more and learn new skills which will be vital in their life. He says it is better for him to teach someone skills than even to give him cash, which is not always available. He always encourages his workers with biblical scriptures daily. That is what keeps them moving on.

Moses has good dreams which he believes he will fulfill. He believes in helping the government to create employment. He no longer wants to be employed by the government. Furthermore, he says he has acquired education which has opened his brains and made him an important citizen who will be able to help the government instead of blaming it because of the problem of unemployment.

“Every citizen has the role to play instead of blaming the government. At this time when the government is struggling with many foreign debts, we need to think outside the box. We went to school to learn how to be problem solvers, not government dependants. We can’t depend on the government for everything.”

Moses says he was once bitter with the government while in university for its many shortcomings, but he now believes he is the change that has to be injected into the system. He believes he has one tool which is in-born skills in woodworking, which he will use to bring change bypassing these good skills to his fellow villagers. His woodwork shop is not huge, but he believes he has great skills which he will use to reduce the problem of unemployment not only in his area but all over the country. He says if he gets resources in the future, he will open up woodworking shops in other areas to help other people too. He believes in his products, and he has a dream of selling them not only in Mukhonje village but the entire country and outside the country. This he believes will also create employment as he will have to advertise his products online, and he will need to employ someone who is computer-literate to run his online business.

The Eldoret-Kisumu road is a very busy and noisy road. It is perhaps one of the busiest public transport hubs that transact Western Kenya region; with either a matatu van or bus zooming past every minute or half a minute during peak hours. This road serves passenger traffic between six counties, namely: Uasin-Gishu, Nandi, Kakamega, Vihiga, Kisumu, and Siaya. Anyone living near this road, therefore, interacts daily with Kenyans living in almost half of Western Kenya.

This is the status of this road at Losengeli in Vihiga County. However, as we stepped 300 meters off the highway, we found ourselves in a fundamentally different environment. We suddenly found ourselves in a beautiful compound with green fencing, trimmed hedges, and a lush well-tended grass field. Here, among the beautiful rainbow-colored flowers, the atmosphere is an antidote of what one experiences on the highway. A breath of fresh air greeted us as we arrived at the home of Morris Lwenya at Losengeli in Vihiga County.

Mr. Morris Lwenya, who, despite living thousands of kilometres away in the United States of America, plays a constant pivotal role in social and development activities in the County and among Vihigans living in the Diaspora. Well-known for his philanthropic social and welfare activities, most of Mr. Lwenya activities are done behind the scenes without fanfare. It is therefore within his ambit that he is assisting a self-help group and has offered them his home at Losengeli as the meeting and activity centre.

Tumaini Economic Empowerment Group (EEG)

As we breathe in the fresh air in this scenic serene atmosphere, we are welcomed by the quiet and unassuming Chair lady of the Tumaini Economic Empowerment Group (EEG) Madam Ruth Waga.

“Members of TEEG have trodden a long path”, she begins by telling us. They started with each member contributing Ksh. 200 shares per month, which was pooled and given to one member once a month; in what is known in Kenya as Merry-Go-Round. As the strength of the group grew, they raised this member's share contribution to Ksh. 500 a month.

We are joined by the Group Secretary Mr. Duncan Kidali and a little later by the Treasurer Madam Rose Mbaizi.

“Some people join merry-go-round groups with high expectations but without understanding that even Ugali (the staple local dish) needs time to cook before it is ready to serve;” explains the Treasurer. “We started out as 15 members but many who lack perseverance dropped out, leaving 7 of us. However, those who walked out on us are now begging to come back.”

Why?

“Because when we started each member contributing cash per month to a member, now we are collectively giving a heifer to members.” Says the Secretary.
From the initial membership, some voted with their feet when they failed to see what they termed as the quick progression of the group. This was whittled down to 7 committed members who stayed on course until the group was eventually registered as a Community-Based Organization — CBO.

Vihiga County is one of the most densely populated counties in Kenya with a density of 1,045 persons per square km and one of the highest fertility rates in the country estimated at 5.1%. The high population has exerted enormous pressure on land resources resulting in land fragmentation, food insecurity, unemployment, and a high dependency ratio.

It is in regard to this realization that Harvest for Africa International (HAAFI) in partnership with TEEG commenced its economic empowerment activities targeting widows and youth. HAAFI chipped in with his assistance to fund some of the group’s core projects.

POULTRY KEEPING

One of the activities targeted by TEEG is Poultry keeping, which is practiced by many households in low-income food-deficit countries to bolster food and nutritional security.  Poultry keeping requires minimal land, labour and capital inputs. Women are recognized as key players in family poultry production systems in this county and successful engagement with this sector will incorporate gender-sensitive approaches.
In December 2020, the group built their member, Kidali a poultry house, and furnished it with feeders and water containers. Electricity was installed in the chicken house and stocked with 25 ''Kienyeji'' chicks. Kienyeji chicks are the preferred type of poultry farmed on a small and large scale in Kenya. They are considered to have sweet meat like the traditional chicken, feed on a variety of feeds and have more disease resistance than pure grades.

Kidali feeds them on factory-made chicken “Grower’s mash” which being expensive he supplements with Nduma (Yam) leaves and Pigweed leaves. The chickens are of mixed type with cockerels and hens. In two months' time, the Layers will be mature and begin laying eggs and the cockerels will be ready for the market. With the proceeds from the sale of eggs, cockerels, and hatched chicken the group will purchase more stock, hence enabling continuity of the project.
The chicken house is still incomplete with a dusty floor.

HEIFER-(KEMOLI)

The flagship of the HAAFI/TEEG project is “Kemoli” which means heifer. It is modeled on “Girinka” Rwanda model of one-cow-one-homestead; the target is to give a heifer — Kemoli to every homestead.

The benefits of the initiative will expand as the Kemolis mature and reproduce and these calves sold in the market to boost family incomes or be given to other families in need. The program targets increased farm crop yields through fertilization of nutrient-depleted soils with cattle manure will bolster the growth of cattle grass such as Napier.

Mr. Morris Lwenya introduced the HAAFI-designed “Kemoli” movement as a ‘pro-poor’ strategy for economic empowerment and improved food security among Losengeli village community. Ownership of cattle by the underserved folks will contribute to the enhancement of their social status. It elevates the recipients not only financially but personally and socially as well. Among those who stand to benefit most from the program are members of female-headed households especially widows who by tradition do not own any property through inheritance.

Rose Mbaizi was the first group member to benefit from the Kemoli program at the end of March 2021. She says she has planted enough feed for the cow. She is sincerely anticipating the benefits of milk for household use and extra for sale to Mudete Dairy for income. This will enable her to buy good food, and clothes for her family and pay school fees. The cow has also improved her wealth status in the community.
Studies have shown that there are high numbers of malnourished children in poor families. The program will tackle malnutrition by the provision of milk, a rich source of proteins.

The next member who got the Kemoli was Milka Kavaya, who has young children. She says; “I am grateful and happy to have received this calf. Now I am guaranteed milk for my young children and school fees in their future.”
These were followed by Caroline Kidali and Dinnah Mwendeyi who have benefited with a Kemoli each. According to the Chair lady, this will continue until all members have received a Kemoli.

To their advantage, the members have access to a grade bull at the Lwenya boma for reproductive purposes; which reduces the cost of artificial insemination and guarantees mating when the Kemolis mature and are ready to mate.

CAPACITY BUILDING

The HAAFI is assisting TEEG members to establish other income-generating activities, including: Goat-keeping, Bee-Keeping, Fruit-tree farming, and goat keeping.

Beekeeping is a great home-based income-generating project. Goats have largely been used in dairy production, but are increasingly being raised for meat. Goat farming is in scale, because of their forage habits, ease of care, disease resistance, and reduced maintenance compared to other ruminants. The TEEG goat keeping house is nearing completion on a spot provided on Morris Lwenya’s farm.

If there is to be a competition for a model local poultry farmer in Kenya, then Chanderema Poultry Farm in Vihiga County will score a series of “A”s.

The Turkey “A”

The first “A” is earned in turkey farming. It is not common to find a farmer who has concentrated so much effort on breeding turkeys in Western Kenya. Those who have kept them have a population of between 5 and 10. However, on the Chanderema Farm, they have mature turkeys in two large holding shades, a large open pen full of turkeys, and some rooms with the birds in various levels of maturity.
The main reason turkey farming is not widespread in Kenya is that they are eaten mainly during celebrations. Except for hotel menus, families buy and eat turkeys during Easter and Christmas. Many people are used to slaughtering a goat or sheep on other occasions or for meat. While most people know how to slaughter and prepare goat, sheep, and chicken for cooking; few know how to prepare turkey. That is why Chanderema offers for sale turkeys in different states: as take away live; or if the client orders, they slaughter and prepare them ready to cook. This includes dressing the birds, says Mr. Alumada Mbato the Chanderema farm’s Development Manager.

He goes on to explain the advantage of turkey meat: turkey is just like chicken. Only its meat is sweeter than chickens. It tastes like chicken and goat meat. However, compared to goat meat, turkey meat has smaller and fewer bones in weight-by-weight proportions. When you subtract the head, feet, and skin when slaughtered, a small goat that costs Kshs 7,000 and provides 10-12 Kilograms of boneless meat; while a turkey which costs Kshs 3,500 will provide 7-9 Kilograms of boneless meat. So, you get more value for money and more meat on the table when you slaughter a turkey. At Chanderema Poultry Farm they rear four types of turkeys: the rare pure white-feathered, the black, the black/white, and the spotted. One can buy as many turkeys as they need, both for breeding, for hotel, and home consumption.

The Geese “A”

Many people consider Geese as decorative birds and keep them purely for aesthetical and ornamental value. While appreciating this, Mr. Alumada explains a misconception that it is the only purpose of keeping Geese. Geese have very sweet meat. In some communities, you are considered a special guest if they slaughter for you a Goose.
Chanderema Farm rears a large flock of Geese for sale to those who need them for breeding and for the table. Mr. Alumada also says that if you keep Geese, they kill and hound small pests out of your compound. “You won’t find rats, snakes, and small pests wandering in the compound or on the fence. They kill and devour them. Geese are also natural security guards against birds of prey that attack chickens. Those birds don’t come to homes where Geese are reared. On a more secure front, Geese, like dogs, can identify strangers and alert residents with loud agitation noise.

The Engoko “A”

Before they ventured into Poultry farming, the Chanderema Farm investors carried out thorough research. They identified a market demand which was not being satisfied. Mr Luvaga, the Sales and Marketing Director gave us the laydown of it.
In Western Kenya, among the Luhyia community, also known as Mulembe Nation; every time there is a function, Engoko (chicken) plays a vital role. Engoko is used during traditional cultural functions and for food on the table. This is during weddings, funerals, prayers, family unions, and annual religious functions. He estimates that during one function, 60-100 birds are required both for slaughtering and carry-away live birds by family visitors during cultural events. The family or committee hosting the event have a hard time collecting such a large number of chicken. They have to go around homes and markets and even travel as far as Kapsabet in Uasin Gishu County to buy them. It is not only time-consuming and expensive; but there is a disadvantage that some of the chickens they buy are sick and spread diseases into many homes either from handling them, through contact with clothes, and their waste after slaughter.

“In fact, when the host opens the store or bathroom where they have kept the chicken overnight, sometimes they find half of them are already dead!” explains Jack.
Hence the investors (who are now the directors of Chanderema Farm) started poultry farming to meet this demand for chicken. A client can now order or buy any number of chickens they want from one place: the Chanderema Farm. “We have customized solutions for chicken supply at balance one price across board. Whatever number and type of chicken one needs: Idaywa, Inyavuli, Isu, Likukuvale. Chicken from this farm are reliable, credible, and vaccinated both for breeding and consumption.

They have flocks in different levels of maturity: “this is carefully controlled breeding; so that at no time in the year will the customer miss the chicken they need. By the time one lot matures and is being sold, the next flock is ready to replace it.”
When we visited, a client Madam Violet Anzigale came to purchase some chicken for breeding. She said she has learned a lot from the farm and that poultry farming can create a lot of employment in Vihiga County.

The other method of doing it right is they have built proper chicken housing with inlaid floor plastic mesh for filtering out chicken droppings so that the room is ever clean. Plastic mesh does not scratch and damage the chicken feet and toes. The rooms are labeled according to their utilization with KIRITU ROOM being the Showroom/Sales point for mature birds.

Inside each room, there is water piping fixed around walls with numerous drinking nipples. Outside in the compound are several huge water tanks spread around the compound.

“Water, water” explains Alumada, “some farmers forget that animals and fowls need access to good clean water all the time; or they underestimate it. We have made sure we store enough water for all seasons. This is one item we monitor constantly and consistently.”

On the farm is also a water pond and sandpit for the birds the Turkeys and Geese.
We also saw their store full of fowl feed to the brim. “Yes, we are ever prepared and well-stocked. The fresh and green feed is grown around the farm.”
Western Kenya is a big, big market, for chicken. It is one place where Engoko is the favourite food for all occasions. We can’t satisfy this market from this farm alone. We want other residents of Vihiga to learn from us and invest in the same. But, they must do it right.” Luvaga says.

The Clean “A”

On our walkabout, we were using paved paths as clean and maintained as in any major hotel. With water everywhere, green lawns, and Solar floodlights dotting the compound this can easily be called the Hotel for Fowls.

There is an office where the farm management strategic plan is outlined and records for each function are meticulously kept. Alumada informs us that they are available to provide group training for poultry, livestock, and agriculture. They have the tools, including projectors. Mr. Luvaga has been providing resource training to several groups up to Busia County.

The Gold Fishpond “A”

The Hope Pond as it is aptly named on the farm is a heart-shaped fish pond. It is surrounded by several benches installed inside as a meeting area. The beauty about it is the serene atmosphere it breathes that settles the heart and mind. The pond is designed as a spot for personal meditation. The pool’s water reticulation system is run by a solar pump. When switched on, it creates a wonderful waterfall and spray pattern over the pool.  Mr. Alumada tells us the pond is full of fish, around 300 mature Tilapia awaiting harvesting and ornamental Gold Fish which they sell.

The Ostrich “A”

It is strange how chasing after one rabbit can make you catch an entirely different animal. We heard about the Farm at Kiritu with Ostriches from Professor Mary Misia Kadenyi who had taken her family on a tour there. When she told us about the Ostriches in Vihiga, we were very intrigued and set out to bring you the report on mulembeonline.com. We are ever ahead of news from Western Kenya for you. Imagine our total surprise when we stumbled upon this thriving poultry farm with modern farm management techniques right in the heart of Vihiga County! We even spotted Kanga (Guinea Fowl) being bred on the farm.
The farm is run by three directors: Mr. Luvaga – Sales and Marketing, Madam Midika – Environmental and Mr Alumada – Business Development. Their motto is “CPA …Forever!”

About 3 km from Kiritu is a sight to behold. It is the holiest of the holy sites in Vihiga according to the local population. People come from far and wide to worship at this shrine. Some come to these two rocks, which stand 300 metres apart, to offer prayers, others to seek divine intervention in whatever is afflicting them, while others come out of curiosity. The village leader Mama Edith Mboga told us.
Some come to fetch the “holy water” from the rock.

The latest prominent visitor to the site is Her Ladyship Margaret Kenyatta, Kenya's First Lady, who paid homage to the site during her tour of Vihiga County.
This site is the Givera stone site also known as the “Jesus Footprint”. What makes this rock shrine such a unique divinity?

Vihiga County is home to numerous holy sites. The origins of some of the populous religions have their headquarters in Vihiga County. According to Dr Kisato of Mungoma Chemist, Mbale town, a dozen religions that operate in Kenya have their roots deeply etched in the souls of Mulembe Nation.

• Some prominent religions with origins in Vihiga County are:

• Pentecostal Assemblies of God (PAG) - headquartered at Nyang'ori

• Israel Nineveh - headquartered at Jebrok

• Friends Church - headquartered at Kaimosi

• African Divine Church - headquartered at Boyani

A couple of other churches have their headquarters dotted in Western Kenya. Dr. Kisato opines that the Jesus Rock Shrine is the holiest of the traditional and natural holy sites in Vihiga.

The Jesus Footprint Rock Site

Located by the roadside from Kiritu to Maziguru it is just a stone's throw from the newly constructed bridge. The bridge is on the valley that separates two constituencies. On the Eastern ridge is Sabatia Constituency and on the Western ridge is Vihiga constituency. There is an earth road that dissects the valley off the main Mbale-Hamisi road at Chango and joins Majengo-Mudete road at Kiritu. One can therefore reach the site from all four sides of the compass; which represented equal distance from the directions of Mudete, Hamisi, Mbale, and Majengo.

From a distance, it just looks like a large outcrop of granite rock which are in plentiful in the landscape of Vihiga County. Granite rocks are the hardest to crack and shape. As you get closer, you notice that it is shaped like a large flat bowl placed bottom-up on the ground covering about 100sq metres with the eastern side slopping toward the river. It looks like an ideal and quiet place to have a picnic.

Cutting across the stone running south-north is a colourful 10 cm belt of brown and gold colour. As one approaches the rock from the southern end about 3 steps from the edge of the rock on the left side of the belt is a deep impression on the rock, “This is the left foot of Jesus” explains our guide Christine Gulenya in halting but clear English. She does not delve into the matter behind the step.

Then she steps to the edge and begins walking across the rock beside the colourful belt. The rock rises gradually for about 3 metres then levels and eventually slops sharply in the last 2 metres. Walking beside the belt barefoot, Gulenya explains that this is the path Jesus followed. As we walk along this hallowed ground, Gulenya walks back a few steps, then descends the rock in the slopping eastern direction. At the North Eastern corner is a crack where a small pool of clear water is nestled, “this pond does not dry all year round” says Gulenya. “This is not rain water, it comes deep from the rock. This is the water which revelers say is ‘holy’ and is usually scooped and carried away by visitors and those who come to pray at this site.”

Finally, Gulenya climbs to the centre of the rock where there are some inscriptions of numbers. She traces out the two sets of numbers. At one spot is numbers ‘1’ and ‘0’ and a metre apart is the number “8”.

The Coffin and Bread/Fish Site

About 300m South of the Jesus Footprint Rock up-valley is another expansive rock outcrop about twice the size of the footprint rock.

Again here are mysterious shapes and imprints spread over the rocks’ surface. What strikes you as you reach the site is a huge boulder resting its ‘head’ on another rock. It is as if pall bearers carrying a coffin got tired and stopped to rest. Or perhaps it “tested their faith” and they abandoned it there. Then there are those who believe that it is the final burial place of some entity like the pharaohs of Egypt. The boulder erringly resembles the shape of a coffin including its size and shape. One shoulder of the rock coffin is chirped off.

One of the mysteries of this rock is apparently, it does not want to be disturbed. Our Guide Christine Gulenya tells us of several attempts to relocate the rock which failed. She claims the chirped shoulder was caused when a local stone harvester attempted to crack the coffin and make ballast for sale. However his effort was short-lived as he fell sick and died within a week. Since then no one has attempted to crack it. Actually there is a piece of the shoulder lying at the bottom of the coffin as if to confirm the stone harvester’s folklore.

Besides the coffin, the top of the rock formation has four impressionable features. One of the shapes she says the residents interpret as a shield.  Also as she shows the other two impressions which are close to each other the bread and fish that Jesus used to feed his disciples. The last impression is a flat tablet which she calls the bench where they sat.

Shrine

According to Edith Mboga the village headwoman, many people come in groups either to view pay homage, or pray at the site of the holy rocks. Followers of several sects pay annual pilgrims including Legio Maria, Holy Spirit, and Elijah Masinde. In the early days, religious leaders from a Prophet in Isukha used to frequent the site.

Western Kenya Tourism Circuit

There is “some wild animal” in Kenya's tourism sector called “Western Kenya Tourism Circuit” which was coined over 20 years ago. When you hear of it, you imagine exotic and exciting travel around the Western region of Kenya. The reality is that it is a just mirage created by the doyens given the responsibility of developing tourism in Kenya.  Each subsequent team of government officials tasked with promoting tourism Kenya-wide tourism will revisit the “Western Kenya Tourism Circuit” and produce very impressive paperwork.

Then it remains just that: Paperwork. They retreat back to the well-beaten paths of Nairobi, Mount Kenya, Coast, and the National Parks. At least in those areas, they can safely generate annual figures of foreign visitors. This is Kenya, which wants to work hard to develop unbeaten paths.

The reality is that if the dream of the “Western Kenya Tourism Circuit” is to be realized; the ten counties involved have to pull on their gloves, wear gumboots and get the job done. These counties include Vihiga, Kakamega, Busia, Bungoma, Trans-nzoia, Siaya, Kisumu, Homa-bay, Kisii, and Migori.

Vihiga County has many places of interest. However, they are not officially identified and developed to attract visitors tourists. Vihiga also has lots of cultural interests; including the fact that many religions being practiced in Western Kenya, Nyanza and the Rift Valley have their shrines in Vihiga County which can be developed as pilgrim centres.

One wonders when such sites as Jesus Rock Shrine, Mahiga-ga-Vihiga, and Mung’oma will be declared Vihiga County's National monuments.

The first missionaries to come to Africa faced much hostility in other regions of Kenya. It was only at Vihiga that they met a friendly community with an organized kind of worship similar to Christianity; they settled here.

Here is the legendary farm whose plantation is grown and harvested in two different countries in this world. It would have been just that, a legend but the local people say that it is as true as the day is to the night.

To begin with, what was grown on this farm by a team of well-funded experts and supported by the full force of the government is now just a legend. If there were any harvests out of it; then they were never put to the intended use as far as the locals can remember. What remains of the crop, nobody seems to care anymore. Perhaps it holds the unique record as the only farm in the world which has been planted by the government of one country but is being harvested by the citizens of another country. At least what remains of the crop on it. This farm is on the land of the government of Kenya but is being harvested by the citizens of Uganda.

There is a hot and burning issue in Busia County that nobody wants to talk about; yet everyone is willing to tell their story. The story of the green or white elephant that refuses to die a natural death. It consists of a large acreage of green plantations, but locals call it a white elephant. Listen to their true story as told here.

We began by asking a village elder at Angorom village why they just can’t forget about this government project and move on.

“How can I forget about it, when every day this thing is staring at me before my very eyes?” Posed the village elder. “Everywhere I look in my compound I see them, yet I cannot use them, nor can I utilize for something else the land on which they are planted. One tree’s shade covers so much space. Sometimes when I am sleeping, I dream about my wasted land. I have nightmares.”

In the Beginning

In the beginning, the government through the research station of KALRO enticed farmers to participate in the project aimed at making Kenya self-sufficient in palm oil for industrial manufacturing use. Kenya was importing and still imports all its palm oil requirements from East Asia and West Africa. It was determined that the climate in Busia County and several other areas of Western Kenya is conducive to the growth of palm trees, hence the production of sufficient quantities of palm oil both for local consumption and even export market.

The 1980s

Intensive and extensive capacity building was undertaken for the local populace. They were taught that palm trees mature in only 4-5 years and have many benefits. Palm oil can be used to make cooking oil, soap, margarine and a variety of other products. Not only that, the palm tree has a good shade, can be harvested for firewood as well. Its fibres are used to make cottage industry products such as brooms. Some local residents played it a safe wait-and-see attitude, but many embraced the project. When the government says something is good; it must be good. Government is never wrong. That is the positive attitude of rural folks in Kenya. They took the Palm tree seedlings and planted them in their farms and homesteads.

In the early 1990s, the area received some more Palm Tree seedlings from Ghana; together with experts. The farmers were given further training. Not long after another group of experts landed from Egypt to train farmers on how oil is extracted from the palm fruits. They used a manual oil extracting machine. The Egyptians promised the locals that once they attained a plantation of one million palm trees, they (Egyptians) will come and establish a Palm oil refinery. That is the message the locals understood. More of them planted the seedlings.

The Long Wait

Then began the long wait for the palm oil refinery site. The hopeful locals never lost hope. But the Ghanaians never returned with their promised further training and inspections. Nor did the Egyptians return loaded with factory machinery. Only the stored manual oil extractor still reminds residents of their long-gone forage into Busia County. However, when the locals realized that some of the main architects of the project were retiring of age; the truth dawned on them. The project was elephantic; it was going nowhere anymore. That was 20-30 years down the line.

Desperate locals started their own innovative ways to use the fruits. Some would roast the dry palm nuts and eat them. But that is not what they were meant to be, so it was not profitable.

We met Pascal, a young man bodaboda motorcycle taxi operator who carried us to Adungosi town. He says locals pound the nuts in the local wood-pounding mill called Kinu. They extract a little oil for domestic use and for selling to other households. He tells us that the palm tree has herbal medicinal uses. But again is this what the project was intended to achieve?

The economic use for it to benefit the local population seems to have gone with the breath of the wind of experts.

The Want and Waste

The village elder at Angorom village had this to say: "We were taught to plant these trees ten by ten metres apart, so you can see how much land a few trees now waste. If it was meant mainly for firewood use, then the local tree varieties have more branches that can produce more firewood than these palm trees. Even their shade is not so good. What puzzles us is that nobody from the government is telling us what to do with these green elephants. Even if it is cutting them down to reclaim our land."

The Palm tree farm is found at Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) whose land are acres and acres of palm trees as far as the eye can see towards Kenya’s border with Uganda.

One long-serving employee we spoke to said that at one time, the research centre had over one million palm tree seedlings which is distributed free of charge to farmers in Busia and other areas. But as the farmers became disillusioned with the lack of progress on the building of the factory, they stopped taking the seedlings.

How about the research station palm farm? Gone are the days when the huge palm tree farm was weeded and tended to with meticulous care. Nothing is happening from this side of the border, he said and avoided elaborating.

On the bodaboda ride to Adungosi, I posed the query to my taxi rider Pascal.

“Oh, that is a dangerous place; a home of snakes and animals. You go there at your own risk. The funny thing is you can’t enter the palm farm from this side, because it is guarded government land. But as you can see over that horizon, the palm trees plantations border our neighbours. So youth from Uganda sneak in and harvest the pods. They pound into oil and sell it to locals in their country and here.

We asked a lady fruit seller in Busia town what she thought of the Palm trees scattered around her county. She had the following response: "Oh those makindu-like trees? When I was growing up, I found them here. So you say they are new? New in which way? Well if the government brought them, then it is ok, but if I get my own land I won’t plant them." Why? "Well, I guess because it is hopeless if the government is no longer planting them."

With a twitch of a smile, she boasts to me of being an international trader.

At first, I think she is just pulling my leg; until she began relating the facts about her business.

“I buy my raw materials from Uganda and Kenya. It depends on the season though Uganda has a steady supply all year round.”

So that makes you an international trader? I joke as I fiddle with my small image capture device. The weather around Busia, the Headquarters of Busia County Kenya, can be termed as hot-hot most of the year-round, with bright sunlight. When I look up at her again, the small smile is still pasted on her face. This is when I realize she is not smiling at me; this is her business trademark. You cannot help but feel comfortable at her kiosk.

Her business is located at the tail-end of the walls of St. Mathews Boys’ High School on the road known as Kasarani Street. The business is directly behind Busia’s new Soko ya Samaki (Fish Wholesale Market). Standing at her kiosk, you can see the huge temporary Soko ya Samaki which is a stone's throw from Kenya’s border with Uganda. It is a very busy area. Every few minutes a bicycle or motorcycle loaded with goods zooms past either going or coming from the direction of the border.

A soft-spoken 24-year-old runs a full-fledged factory with all the elements of a modern industry scaled down.  To appreciate the magnitude of Mary Namwangu's business, one has to consider that despite her facilities or lack of, she goes through the full cycle of manufacturing, just like any modern factory. The process involves:

STEP 1: Procurement

As a purchasing entity, she sources her raw materials from various places. She personally undertakes the purchasing and transporting of raw materials in Kenya or from Uganda depending on the season and prices. She then orders and buys the packaging materials.

Her main raw material is Peanuts and Simsim (Sesame). She sources her supply from middle-traders who buy them from farms during harvest season. She travels once or twice a month to Uganda to buy her supply.

Why doesn’t she ask someone to bring the materials to her kiosk or send someone else who is going to Uganda to buy the supply on her behalf?

It makes economic sense she agrees. However, there are several inherent challenges. The first is that she uses her supplies for manufacturing, so she needs to ensure personally do the selection of the peanuts and Simsim to be sure of freshness and they are of the highest quality.

However, the main challenge is the reality that the cross-border trade ring is very latent. One day there can be few customers; the following day a flood of buyers. It can happen the time the person you sent is returning coincides with the customers’ flooding day. This person will simply sell your stock on the way and return to Uganda to buy you a different lot. He/she will have used your money for their trade and you won’t be any wiser. Meanwhile, if your stock level in the store was low, you suffer a catastrophic blow in production.

Farmers in Uganda are harvest twice a year; that is why we buy mostly from there. Besides if you stay so long from the trade route, your contacts will dry up. You will end up buying from brokers whose prices are exorbitant.

STEP 2: Storage

The next step in her production is sorting, drying, and storing

STEP 3: Processing

The Peanuts and Simsim are then roasted to the required standard. The roasted nuts are then processed to remove the covers. This is followed by grinding to different types of finesse in preparation for mixing for different products she packs and sells.

STEP 4: Packaging

Mixing paste ready for sale both in manual measurements or pre-packed, sealed tubs containers. She mixes and packs her products in three different forms: Paste, soft cake, and powder.

The paste and soft cake are sold in ready-packed sealed plastic tubs, but large quantities can be measured in take-away packs.

The products, packages, and sizes include:

1. Peanut Butter as bread-spread packed in sealed plastic  tubs sizes: 250g and 500gm

2. Simsim Butter as bread-spread packed in sealed plastic  tubs sizes: 250g and 500gm

3. ODI No 1 as an additive for cooking sweet potatoes, or as an accompaniment when eating ugali

4. Odi no 2 as an additive for cooking vegetables, bananas or sweet potatoes

5. Peanut Powder as an additive for cooking vegetables. It can also be mixed into OD 2.

6. ODI No 1, Odi no 2, and Peanut Powder are measured and sold in amounts of 1, 2Kg or more according to the customer’s requirements.

Some customers buy in large quantities then go to sell in small measurements to households users or in spoonfuls to customers who like to eat the cake as a snack. It is really sweet.

STEP 5: Sales and Marketing

“I sell my finished products in both Kenya and Uganda… Yes, I am an international trader”.

I ask her: I thought Ugandans have been using these products for eons, don’t they make enough for themselves?

Again that permanent smile: “Business is business. If you have a better product and you make an effort to present it well, customers will always come for more. Even you; I know if you buy and take home, your wife will always ask you to bring some. My prices are also so competitive compared to what is sold in Supermarkets from elsewhere.

On this particular day of our visit, Simsim Butter is out of stock. Apparently, it is her most popular brand and moves like the proverbial hot cake.

She encourages us to buy a sample of each of the rest of her products to go and try at home. She is one business lady one cannot resist promoting.

Which supermarkets does she supply? She names two shops and skits around the question. Says that is her business secret.

“You…. you want to know all the secrets of my business, how do I know despite who you say you are; you are just another competitor?

Challenges

Namwangu has heard of a machine that can do all processes in one run: fry, cobble, and grind the peanuts in one go. But she has never seen it. “Iko huko Nairobi.” But she knows it is sold in Nairobi’s Kariobangi Light Industry. Her butter and paste products have a shelf-life of 4 months. She needs a preservative to increase this. Also, she needs to improve her product promotion, labeling, and going further afield to reach more customers.

Her production is also affected by shortages of raw materials.

Why can’t you stock sufficient material to last you say, 6 months of production? “Nitatoa hiyo pesa wapi?”  (where do I get that kind of capital?) She bursts into laughter.

“This may look to you like a small business but…wachatu! If you want to make a good profit, you have to stay on top of the game.”

What is her dream?

Namwangu has been in this business for four years. To grow her business to full-scale manufacturing. For that, she requires a better location. “This place is good for the customers I have, but look, is it ideal for supplying to shops and supermarkets?” She poses.

Namwangu says her dream of being a full-fledged businesswoman in her product range can be actualized with an injection of capital of Ksh.200,000.

For centuries, Leprosy was the most misunderstood disease in the world; leading to its sufferers being stigmatized by their fellow members of society. In my formative years, I attended a high school located near Leprosy Isolation and Treatment base at Nyarusuria Village. Out of curiosity I and a friend visited Nyarusuria. It turned out to become a tradition as we made friends there. We used to spend some of our free Sunday afternoons paying social calls to the villagers.

Due to the stigma attached to the disease, we sometimes made a long detour through the savanna overgrowth to reach the expansive village, so that other students would not see us. This was after one student reported to the school authorities that we were visiting a “proscribed village”.

Contrary, the Principal, a highly educated and understanding man, assured us that the disease was non-communicable. Although he did not give us permission, he did not also bar us from making our nocturnal visits. During these afternoon visits, we would sit with some of the “detainees”, some of who came from different parts of the country exchanging information and discussing current affairs from the radio. I came to understand sufferers of this disease were some of the most ostracized members of our society. It is an experience that remains etched deeply into my conscience.

The Lost Land of Alupe

As I embark on my recent safari to Alupe Leprosy Isolation and treatment centre in Busia, I feel some sort of deep ache in my heart; a feeling I cannot describe here on paper. On arrival, I learn that the centre is now closed after the Kenya Government together with United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) declared Leprosy a disease that has been eradicated in Kenya.‌‌

Leprosy in Kiswahili as Ugele can affect different body organs and limbs of the body. However, it is mainly on the small limbs like toes and fingers where its manifestation is clearly visible to the naked eye. It affects the ability to carry items by hand and limits feet mobility of the affected persons.

Until the 20th-century Leprosy was one of the scariest diseases that afflict human beings. The fact that it is mentioned in the Holy Bible as a sort of atonement punishment does not make the disease any less socially palatable to many communities. Those who got in contact with the sufferers of the disease know that it is one of the most dehumanizing diseases of its kind.

For centuries the only known practiced form of dealing with the disease by science was isolation/treatment. In Eastern Africa, a number of Leprosariums (Leprosy isolation and treatment centers) were established by the Ministries of Health or medical authorities in some cases in conjunction with missionaries in East Africa. In Uganda, some of the Leprosariums included: Bunyani and Buluba. In Kenya, some were established at Kakamega, Sabweni, and Chogoria. In Tanzania, some of the centres were at Makete, Chanzi, Ndanda, Kolandoto and Maketopera; among others. People who suffered from the disease were referred and admitted to these centres for management and “treatment”.

While isolations were used as a form of quarantine and treatment; the centres also served as a way for “prevention of the spread of the diseases” to the un-affected population. It was also convenient and cost-effective as the few expert doctors available could serve a larger number of people affected with Leprosy at one location. This method of handling the disease was not common to Kenya only; it was a worldwide medical and public health practice:

“A leper colony, lazarette, leprosarium, or lazar house was historically a place to isolate people with leprosy (Hansen's disease). The term lazaretto, which is derived from the name of the biblical figure Saint Lazarus, can refer to isolation sites, which were at some time also "colonies", or places where lepers lived or were sent. Leper hospitals exist(ed) throughout the world to treat those afflicted with leprosy, especially in Africa, Brazil, China, and India.” - wikipedia

Through research and care practiced in these centres worldwide, the disease became more understood by researchers and various effective curative regimes were introduced. Thankfully, isolation centres turned into hospitals for treatment of leprosy leading to Kenya achieving the WHO elimination target of less than I (one) cases per 10,000 people in 1989; with few recorded leprosy cases mainly from Uganda. The Leprosarium at Alupe was shut down on 21 December 2020.‌‌

The Great Alupe Exodus

The establishment of a Leprosariums, then known as “Leper Colonies” for the Western Kenya region was considered between 1949 –1951. Eventually, in 1953, the Government of Kenya in collaboration with an NGO established the leprosy camp at Itesia which had 2,500 registered patients most of who were being treated as outpatients. This followed with the construction East African leprosy research centre also based at Alupe.‌‌

Flashback to those days before the disease was not even “understood” by science. Imagine a deep sleepy local village at the border of Kenya and Uganda suddenly finding itself the focal point for quarantining patients from all over Kenya for the treatment of Leprosy. ‌‌

Some of the villagers were hearing about the disease and seeing those afflicted with the disease for the first time in their life. Until today, none of the villagers I talked to knows why Alupe in Busia was selected as a Leprosarium.

To them, it was not a welcome move from the authorities. Predictably, the then residents of Alupe reacted to the establishment of the Leprosarium the only way people overwhelmed by calamities do. Most packed their families and fled to different locations.

With the exception of the “hospital”, Alupe became an abandoned land.

However, as the disease became more understood and treatment made possible, the population of persons suffering from leprosy at Alupe became fewer.

The landscape also benefitted from the establishment of the Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization, KALRO.

The expansion of Kenya Medical Research Institute, KEMRI, and the establishment of its satellite branch at Alupe further brought to fore the viability of the once-abandoned land. The KEMRI Research laboratory called the Centre for Infectious and Parasitic Disease Control Research (CIPDCR) Busia has boosted the quality of health care at the local hospital (Alupe Sub-county Hospital). Both institutes engage a sizable number of experts from different parts of the world and employ a large number of support staff from the local population. This center is continuing in the tradition of Alupe being a home for medical treatment.

The Allure of Alupe

Suddenly, the miracle of Alupe has spouted like a mushroom. The latest addition to the Alupe landscape is the Alupe University; a large campus that is being built 3 km from the main Busia–Malaba road; and within a stone-throw from KEMRI and KALRO and the Uganda border. From the outside, the buildings look impressive.

The effect of the closure of Leprosarium and the establishment of the university campus is the magic wand that Alupe was waiting for.

“What is happening now is reverse immigration,” says Hilary Monyi who works at Alupe; “what used to be an abandoned and undesirable land is now beckoning investors.”

People are going to acquire land and put up buildings as one of the benefits of having a university campus here. The ghost of leprosy has been exorcised and buried in the timeless frame.

Fast forward: “Very soon,” says Justine Emoit, a local hotelier; she predicts: “Busia town will extend to Alupe as one”. ‌‌