Bunyala District - North of the River Nzoia

My counterpart Austin and I have embarked on a comprehensive tour of Bunyala District in order to familiarize ourselves with it's people, the challenges faced in their daily lives, and the resources and organizations found within the area.

This past Friday, we finished our travels within the three locations north of the River Nzoia (Bunyala West, Bunyala North, and Bunyala East) after six days of visiting villages and beaches throughout this expansive area. Even so far, we have found vast diversity in both the natural environment and the lives of the people from village to village. I expect this to continue as we proceed to the remaining three locations of the district (Bunyala Central, Khajula, and Bunyala South), all located south of the River Nzoia, beginning next week.

Below is a summary of our travels, in pictures, across the locations of Bunyala District north of the River Nzoia:

Port Victoria, within Bunyala West location, Bukani sub-location, is the largest, most metropolitan town within the district. Once the new paved road is completed, I could easily see Port, scenically situated along Lake Victoria, becoming a tourist destination. This picture was taken on a Friday, market day.

A hand-drawn map, produced by the Ministry of Agriculture, of Bunyala District.  

This woman was one of the villagers we interviewed within Ruambwa in Bunyala East location. Drinking water is a major problem in this area. Although many people get their water from borehole pumps, which are normally safe, the frequent flood events often contaminate the groundwater. Other families drink water from dug surface wells. This lack of reliable access to clean drinking water promotes the spread of water-borne diseases.

This is her ‘choo’, or latrine. As you can see, most latrines within the district are not as well-constructed as those elsewhere in the country. Particularly in Ruambwa, the problem is that the latrines often collapse due to groundwater and floods. Emphasizing the extent of the problem, this latrine is actually deemed a success because it has lasted for four years.

The market center within the village of Mudembi, Bunyala East location. The ‘X’ on the building to the right is due to the road construction. It is condemned to be demolished.

While in the Mudembi market center, we met a local man who showed us an example of the major problem in this area. The soil is so weak in most homesteads that the ‘choo’ holes often collapse while digging. This ‘choo’ was actually completed, but only lasted 3 months before failure. He then dug another hole nearby, which also collapsed during construction. He is now working on his third ‘choo’ in a matter of months. Many families in the area, like him, have no ‘choo’ whatsoever.

Road construction within the district, including adjacent to my house within Budalang’i, Bunyala East location, is omnipresent.

The first beach we visited was Sisenye Beach, within Bunyala North location. Each beach is managed by a BMU, which oversees the surrounding shorelines, charges landing fees to fund their services, and serves as a link between the fishermen and the government. This beach was the least developed and least active of those we visited. Here, most people drink the lake water, but at least many seem to treat it before consumption.

We were told by the BMU staff that the HIV rate is 50% - certainly a gross exaggeration, but it does highlight the major problem within the fishing community. 'Sex for fish,' the trade in which women have sex with fishermen in order to procure fish for their families, is known to be a major problem in the area.

This was one of the families we spoke with in Sisenye, where the major problem is access to clean water. Most people drink water straight from the lake. Illnesses such as malaria, typhoid, and a good old friend from Mali, amoebic dysentery, are also common. Latrines in this area often collapse within a couple of years due to weak soil.

We interviewed the family living within this concession in Sisenye. The entire extended family, three generations, live in this one concession, similar to Mali. It was a very large family. I found it interesting, because generally here in Kenya, kids move out on their own once married, more similar to America.

Rudacho Beach, within Bunyala North location, Bulemia sub-location, was quite a bit more active than Sisenye Beach, and boasts a large concrete ‘banda’ (market/fish weighing/cleaning area) and BMU office. The major problem here is that the population is seen as too big to be supported by the fish supply. Also, since Bunyala North does not have a major market of it's own, transport of fish to distant markets is troublesome and often spoils the fish.

Bujagusi, a small village also within Bulemia sub-location, suffers from poor access to quality drinking water. People used to fetch water from a borehole pump in the vicinity, but it broke in 1998 during major flooding and has not been repaired since. The villagers now rely on dug wells such as this one, completely unimproved and unlined. The water from these holes are often very dirty and/or salty.

People busily crush ice and pack fish for shipping at Mulukoba Beach within Bunyala West location, Bukani sub-location. The fishermen often suffer from waterborne diseases, and HIV/Aids was again mentioned as a major issue. The BMU also stressed the need to better support the fishermen in terms of business skills and facilities, although they have formed many organizations to assist each other in ventures such as transporting their fish to Nairobi for sale.

The ‘mzee,’ or elder man, seated to the right makes a living by fishing ‘omena’ (a breed of small fish), with his family. They fish at night by surrounding their boat with kerosene lamps, supported by floats on the water, to attract the ‘omena’ to the surface. It is difficult work – his boat has no motor and they have to travel far for a good haul.

We visited several families within Siginga village, Bunyala West location. The land families have settled upon here are raised in comparison to the surrounding areas, yet I was surprised to find that the flood waters often reach and dislocate families even here. This man is pointing to the extents to which flood waters reached last year.

Whereas in Mali, people generally live in dense villages, with all of their farmland outside of the village, in Kenya, families generally farm small plots adjacent to their homes. People here in Bunyala District actually have, to some degree, a harder time farming than in my village of Makili in Mali, as most families do not have bulls to plow with. They plow and till the soil by hand only. But their plots are much smaller, and unlike in Mali, they generally have other sources of income.

One of the benefits of living in an area with hills is being able to get a bird’s eye view of your surroundings. Austin and I climbed one of the largest hills near Port Victoria. This is a panoramic shot of the coastline, looking west.

The smooth curve of water on the right side of this picture (looking east from the hill) is the River Nzoia. The rest of the water visible is all flooded lands. Note the dyke to the right of these waters, protecting the villages North of the river. The nearest portion of this dyke was actually being raised by the government on this particular day.

A panoramic view looking East and South over the River Nzoia, which flows from the left to the right as pictured above, as it eventually winds it’s way into Lake Victoria.

If you follow the main road under construction, heading north (or right, as pictured above), you will arrive at Manyasi junction, just out of view. You would get to Budalang’i, my home village, by taking another road, also soon to be paved, east.

Men place their latest catch on the tables and weigh them within the concrete ‘banda’ in Bukoma Beach, Bunyala West location.

Bukoma Beach was wide and sandy, with men, women, and children hard at work. The men were normally active with their boats, women drying ‘omena’ (small minnow-like fish) in the sun, and all involved in pulling in fishing nets by hand, in a sort of tug-of-war, from the lake. A major problem in the area is orphaned children, which have lost both parents, often due to HIV/Aids. They often drop out of school and must work on the lake to support themselves.

We spoke with this group of women at length. The major problem in the area is latrines. The water table is very high, only about 2 feet deep, since the area is within the wetlands. Therefore, constructing latrines is near impossible, and most people are forced to openly defecate in the wetlands around the beach. Another major issue is again drinking water, as most people fetch water from the lake.

Many of the homes within Bukoma are on hills above the wetlands. These areas prove to have the same problem in constructing latrines, but due to different reasons. The area is very rocky, and it is impossible to dig a latrine without special equipment, which are very expensive. Yet, if they were to build on lower land with better soil, they would encounter the high water table. So most families are forced to do without a latrine.

Pictured above, young men work hard at harvesting rocks to sell for income.

Another major problem in this area is that because it is impossible to farm this rocky land, most families have traditionally farmed land closer to the river. Over time, water has reclaimed much of this land as wetlands. The lands which have not been overtaken by wetlands are prone to irregular seasonal flooding. Therefore, when families do farm, their work is often completely washed away before harvest. This is a big reason why Bukoma Beach is so busy. Families have now been forced to rely solely on fishing for their livelihood.

People have settled high up into the hills, where access to water is often limited and difficult, to escape the floods. 

Omena Beach within Bunyala West location, Bukani sub-location, is another very busy port. Fishermen in their boats line the beach as women and children, unfortunately many orphaned, work to dry, naturally, ‘omena,’ in the sun. 

Austin actually found a former client of his, a young orphaned boy, from when he worked as a social worker. He plans to return once the teacher’s strike is over to make sure he actually attends school.

Omena Beach is a busy place with lots of trade with Uganda, in addition to the local fishing industry. I spoke to a group of Ugandan women who had just arrived with firewood they had cut from a nearby island to sell.

A major issue at this beach is again latrine facilities, but this is more so due to lack of land, investment, and the large number of people who depend upon this beach, as opposed to environmental factors.

Our last stop was Marenga Beach, also within Bunyala West location, Bukani sub-location. This beach was again very busy with trade. The BMU we spoke with here talked about much progress having been made at Marenga Beach recently with regards to health and sanitary issues. The only concern he raised was that most of the fishermen lack business and managerial skills, which prevents them from profiting from all of their hard work.