Taita Taveta Express Issue No 19

The award is one of the largest to be given to a private landowner in Coast

Former Taveta MP Basil Criticos has won a more than Sh2.6 billion duel with the National Bank of Kenya (NBK,) one of the largest to be awarded to a landowner in Coast region.

The High Court gave Criticos a greenlight to seize cash and government bonds at the Central Bank of Kenya(CBK) belonging to the NBK over unpaid Sh 2.57 billion compensation.

This comes at a time when thousands of Taita-Taveta residents are living as squatters on their ancestral land while huge chunks of land remains in the hands of the Kenyatta family and more recently President William Ruto who bought part of the vast farm from the controversial former MP.

Consequently, Criticos will be allowed access to NBK’s Sh 4.2 billion in the CBK and another Sh 46.6 billion worth of Treasury Bills and bonds.

The Bank was ordered to pay the former MP the money as compensation for auctioning his sisal farm 15 years ago.

Skeptical observers are questioning the impact this hefty award will have on the lending powers of NBK and if this compensation will benefit Criticos, who once described himself as “a squatter on his own land” or “the powers that be.

In December last year, an attempt by the NBK to appeal the decision at the Supreme Court failed,

The judges led by Justice Dorah Chepkwony, found out that the auction in September 2007 of nearly 16,000 acres in Taveta belonging to the former MP was undervalued after the forced sale failed to take into account buildings, sisal, a quarry and road network on the land.

NBK unsuccessfully sought to overturn the Sh2.57 billion award, arguing that the compensation risked pushing the bank into losses thereby affecting its lending obligations.

Justice Chekwony said she had read the notice of motion and granted the application in accordance with prayer 3 in which Criticos , through his lawyer Allen Gichuhi, had sought a garnishee order over NBK deposits at the Central Bank of Kenya.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

The powder keg that is inequitable distribution of land in TaitaTaveta County

Page 4-5

The Bank was ordered to pay the former MP the money as compensation for auctioning his sisal farm 15 years ago.

From page 1

Criticos’Sh2.6 billion land compensation as Taveta locals continue living as squatters

The land was sold to the Settlement Trustee Fund (STF)to recover a loan of Sh 20 m advanced to a company in which Mr Criticos was a director and shareholder.

The former Taveta MP acted as a guarantor and the bank sold the land after he defaulted on payment.

In addition to the Sh 2.28 billion compensation that excluded interest,the court also directed NBK to refund Mr Criticos Sh 35 million which was surplus for the sale.

“Proceeding to sell the land at less than the amount he offered was a plain breach of a bank’s duty to act with care and good faith” the court noted.

The former MP had told the court that the loan was advanced to his company Agro Development Company in 1991 and charged the property to Kenya National Capital Corporation which is a subsidiary of NBK.

In April 1997, the bank wrote to Criticos demanding about Sh66.5 million from the company plus 35 per cent interest per month.

He was given three months to repay the amount but his efforts to sell the land and offset the loan were frustrated by several court cases.

The bank then sold the land to STF for Sh 55m through a private treaty while the case was still pending in court.

The bank then demanded a further a further Sh106 million from Criticos.

The businessman and controversial politician had initially lost the case before the High Court but he successfully appealed.

“The dispute between the parties was a commercial loan between a lender, borrower and guarantor. The applicant has not shown how a private commercial agreement between the parties and failure to repay a loan is a matter of general public importance” the Court of Appeal judges averred.

The lender went back to the court of Appeal seeking the suspension of the decision and permission to move to the apex court, which while admitting the award was hefty, dismissed the suit.

The bank told the court that that the judgment will directly affect all players in the banking industry, including depositors and borrowers, who place heavy faith in personal guarantees as security for loans.

-Business Daily Africa

Anxiety as 3,500 squatters face

evic-

tion from disputed Voi Bata land

Anxiety has gripped more than 3, 500 squatters on a land formerly belonging to Bata shoe company in Voi after another company went to court and obtained orders to have them evicted .

The company obtained orders to kick out the families at Mswambeni after a case filed in 2020 was concluded by the High Court in Mombasa.

The company claims it bought the land measuring 54 acres from Bata at a price of Sh12m in 2012.

However the squatters said the land in dispute was their ancestral property which they had leased out to Bata to put up a shoe factory so that it (Bata) could provide employment opportunities to locals.

“Our grandfathers gave out the land to Bata to set up a shoe factory which they never did and it was wrong for them to sell it off to a third party without our consent. After failing to put up the factory the land in question should have reverted back to us,” said Alfred Mnjama, one of the aggrieved squatters. He said Bata should have compensated them for the land but instead sold it to another company without considering their plight as the rightful owners.

Despite being a key foreign income earner for the country, sisal farming has remained a “sleeping giant” in Kenya’s agribusiness ventures, trailing behind tea, coffee and horticultural produce.

The challenges facing the sisal subsector in Kenya hinge largely on land use politics and human rights issues rather than the viability of the crop itself.

The land factor has continued to dog the sector especially in Coast region and in Taita- Taveta county in particular, where over 300,000 acres of land comprise private sisal farms.

In the hazy mist of human rights issues, especially workers” terms of service and encroachment on locals’ land, the potential value of sisal in strengthening the economic fabric of both county and country seems uncertain.

For instance, Taita –Taveta County is ranked first in sisal production in East Africa. It also produces the best sisal fibres in the region.

As a result, the sisal sub-sector is a major economic activity particularly in the lower marginal areas of the county which are essentially arid and semi-arid and therefore unfit for other forms of agriculture.

However, the huge potential of sisal farming in the county has not trickled down to the common mwananchi largely because the vast farms are private business enterprises whose benefits end up into private pockets.

“The county has a huge potential in sisal farming but the benefits can only be realized if local communities are empowered to undertake small scale sisal farming ventures as happens in Tanzania. The sisal can be cultivated alongside aloe vera which is also an arid plant . Both crops can come in handy in supporting cottage industries to produce fibre, medicinal and personal care products,” said former Taveta MP Mwacharo Kubo.

He suggested that the county government should send a delegation comprising experts in agribusiness to Tanzania to study how the country had succeeded in undertaking viable agribusiness ventures in sisal farming so that the county can develop a concept paper to guide the same in TaitaTaveta.

“Putting land politics and other sticking issues aside, the potential value of sisal as a cash crop in TaitaTaveta and the whole Coast region cannot be overlooked,” he said.

The former MP pointed out that sisal farming is a viable alternative land use venture that could steer the county out of poverty but emphasized that diversification held the key to sustainability where the sisal farms can also venture into dairy and horticultural production as well as bee keeping.

A glaring example of the viability of sisal farming is Rea Vipingo Plantations which has vast sisal investments in both Kenya and Tanzania .

The group has two sisal estates in Kenya with a total sisal fibre production of over 12,000 tonnes annually, representing about half of Kenya’s total sisal fibre production.

The Dwa Estate, located at Kibwe-

The global sisal production stands at about 240,000 tonnes of which Brazil, the largest producing country, produces over 100,000 tonnes.

China produces 40,000 tonnes, Kenya 27,600 tonnes, Tanzania approximately 17,000 tonnes, Venezuela 10,500 tonnes and Madagascar 9,000 tonnes. Smaller amounts also come from South Africa, Mozambique, Haiti, and Cuba.

Sisal occupies sixth place among fibre plants and is classified as one of the world’s most important natural fibres.

zi some 200 kilometres southeast of Nairobi, is the largest estate in the group, with a land area of 8,990 hectares and an annual fibre production of over 7,000 tonnes.

The Vipingo Estate is located about 30 kilometres north of Mombasa, and has a land area of 3,950 hectares. The annual sisal fibre production of Vipingo is close to 5,000 tonnes.

The group also owns three sisal

Kenya is ranked third largest sisal producer after Brazil and China. The main export markets include China, Spain, Morocco, Portugal and Saudi Arabia. Over 80 per cent of the sisal fibre produced in Kenya is exported while the remaining 20 per cent produced by smallholders is processed in cottage industries to make products for both local and export market.

processing

The processing of sisal involves several stages, namely decortica-

estates in Tanzania , the Mwera, Sakura and Kigombe estates, located between 50 and 70 kilometers south of Tanga in north eastern Tanzania. These estates are owned by Amboni Plantations Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of REA Vipingo Plantations. The Tanzania estates produce over 7,500 tonnes of sisal fibre annually which is exported through the port of Tanga.

tions ( extraction of fibre), drying and brushing and finally baling.

Before being packed into bales, the sisal must be brushed to remove pieces which adhere after decortications and drying. Brushing also frees individual fibers from each other and removes the short fibres which are discarded.

Grading is done for marketing purposes as different grades attract different prices.

Baling and packing are aimed at achieving the lowest possible volume, in order to realize savings on freight charges, while facilitating ease of handling. Sisal fibre is

“Putting land politics and other sticking issues aside, the potential value of sisal as a cash crop in Taita-Taveta and the whole Coast region cannot be overlooked,”

therefore baled under great pressure to achieve high density.

competition

However, sisal continues to face stiff competition from synthetic fibres in the world market, with corresponding reduction in prices. Sisal has numerous uses such making ropes, carpets, rugs , brushes used in machinery, gloves and bathroom accessories as well as making furniture.

Why the economic potential of sisal should not be written off in Taita-Taveta County

Stop unga politics, poor Kenyans are suffering

Food shortage has been a major cause of uprisings and revolutions all over the world. It might be bread, rice or in our case the staple ugali.

In the recent past we have seen opposition leaders and activists leading street demonstrations over the rising cost of living occasioned by the soaring prices of basic commodities especially unga.

It took Sri Lanka just this kind of scenario to oust the government, with disenchantment demonstrators taking over the presidential residence feasting and enjoying creature comforts they could hardly afford.

The Sri Lanka uprising was not without precedent.

With rice being the staple food for most Sri Lankans, the government shot itself in the foot by banning the use of chemical fertilizers in preference for organic ones.

This erratic policy caught many rice farmers unawares and in so doing most abandoned rice farming, leading to a shortage of this staple.

The last straw came when the government resorted to cheap rice imports, further impoverishing the local farmers.

As they say, the rest is history.

Coming closer home, our staple ugali has been the most common meal consumed from rural to urban areas and its foolhardy for any leader to delude themselves that Kenyans can change their eating habits and feed on other foodstuffs.

Granted, in the days of yore there were plenty of tubers and grains that people could supplement their food reserves with.

Not anymore. Actually getting tubers like potatoes, cassava and arrow roots especially in the urban areas is a wild dream and if available, the price is so high compared to maize flour.

That’s why the government must take the bull by the horns and address the unga price issue before the bubble bursts.

Many Kenyans would not mind whether the maize from which they get their flour is produced locally or imported.

What most are yearning for is food of reasonable quality and price.

However, we should not misconstrue this to mean that our farmers should be left at wits end.

In fact right now the dialogue should be whether we have enough maize stocks and if not, how much we can import to fill the deficit.

Kenya is well known for harbouring crafty cartels who will foment artificial shortages of commodities so that they can make a kill through cheap imports.

The maize sector is one key sector that has been the milk cow for these cartels and it’s upon the leaders concerned to ensure that they don’t rear their ugly head in the current food crisis.

Secondly though ours is a free market economy the local maize farmers also need to be motivated by getting reasonable prices for their farm produce.

Right now chances are there are farmers hoarding maize stocks in regions such as Rift Valley due to the poor prices being offered by the government while in other parts of the country, people are going hungry.

This should not be so. It’s high time the government takes the bull by the horns before push comes to shove.

Taita Taveta County: A Tragedy of Failed Devolution and Leadership

Despite the tremendous strides made by other counties in terms of development and restructuring their operations to ensure that devolution works, Taita Taveta county has nothing to be proud of. It is a tragedy that we are lagging behind in terms of progress, and it begs the question, what curse befell us as a county? We had high hopes that under Governor Mwadime’s leadership, things would be different. However, the day-today operations of the county are deteriorating to an abysmal level, and we are left wondering if there is a way out of this predicament. Our health facilities are on the brink of collapse, and the only thing we see happening are weekend celebrations with pilau, while our leaders issue empty threats that intimidate no one. The governor was overrated prior to his election, and now we find ourselves in an even deeper abyss than before. It is a tragedy that the legacy of this county may vanish without a trace, and we will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. We are in the news, but not for anything positive, as we face damning allegations of corruption for misusing funds that were meant to remember the dead and soldiers of WW1. It is likely that we will appear in the news as a county that consumed devolution funds through pilau, while our leaders increase their waistlines at the expense of the poor people of Taita Taveta. This is not what devolution was meant to achieve, and it is a slap in the face of the people who put their trust in the leaders. Actions speak louder than words, and we cannot afford to keep burying our heads in the sand. What sets us apart from other counties, like Kwale, where we see developments and progress? Our neighbors in Makueni County are enjoying the fruits of devolution, and their health system is a benchmark for success. Ours, on the other hand, is a fiasco of epic proportions and an embarrassment beyond words. If other counties can be likened to football teams, ours is just a team of bumbling amateurs. And if it’s food, our county is a foul-tasting gruel that no one wants to eat. In the past seven months, we have witnessed boardroom meetings paraded as investor engagement. However, none of them have been successful, and Taita Taveta county residents are growing tired of the empty rhetoric. We can no longer remain silent when other counties are sponsoring numerous students in secondary education, while we only sponsor a paltry 100. This is an insult to our intelligence and a gross injustice to our youth. Our leaders must do better, and we must hold them accountable. If you scrutinize the county government’s manifesto during the election, you will realize that we embarked on a journey to find bread, but instead, we stumbled upon excrement and returned home empty-handed. It is time to wake up and smell the coffee. We must demand more from our leaders and hold them to a higher standard. We cannot afford to be complacent and watch as our county crumbles before our very eyes. We must rise to the occasion and demand progress and development for the betterment of our county and our people. The future of Taita-Taveta county depends on it.

ma ,where

are you

hiding,

Taita-Taveta residents need you

The people of Taita Taveta County have expressed disappointment in their senator, Hon Jones Mwaruma, for his silence on important matters affecting their county. Despite his pivotal role, the senator has failed to address the county and declare his position on pressing issues that have impacted the region.

It Is regrettable that the senator has not condemned or provided any information on recent corruption allegations in Governor Mwadime’s administration. This lack of action from the senator’s office raises questions about his commitment to his oversight role, and his failure to address such matters only fuels speculation and unfavorable opinions.

Furthermore, the senator’s lack of comment on the rampant human-wildlife conflicts in the county is concerning, as other leaders have raised their concerns and taken action. It is unclear what oversight role he is playing or if he has chosen silence as his last resort.

Furthermore, the senator’s lack of comment on the rampant human-wildlife conflicts in the county is concerning, as other leaders have raised their concerns and taken action. It is unclear what oversight role he is playing or if he has chosen silence as his last resort.

It Is essential to remind the senator that the Taita Taveta residents did not elect a coward who would abdicate his role while they suffer. They elected a leader who would represent them and address their needs. It is time for the senator to show his commitment to the people and fulfill his role as their representative.

-TAITA TAVETA POLITICS

Well,well, well...What would you call a cross-breed between a trouser and a blouse? A trouse ,perhaps?

-TAITA-TAVETA POLITICS

Time ripe to diffuse the keg of inequitable land tion in Taita-Taveta County

The skewed distribution of land in Taita-Taveta County has seen thousands of people living as squatters on their ancestral land while a handful of landlords, private sisal farms,ranches and conservancies occupy millions of acres of land.

The Tsavo national park on the other hand occupies 62 per cent ( approximately 10,600 square kilometres) of the total land area of 17,000 square kilometres.

According to Wundanyi/Mbale ward MCA Jimmy Mwamidi, Tsavo which is divided into East and West should be cut so that Tsavo West is converted to a game reserve so that the county government can earn revenue from wildlife.

“Taita-Taveta residents have suffered for many years due to persistent human- wildlife conflicts and the only way our county can be compensated adequately is by hiving off Tsavo West as Taita-Taveta game reserve to boost county revenue through tourism” said Mwamidi.

Of the three sisal plantations, Taveta, Voi and Teita, the latter in Mwatate sub-county owned by the Kyriazy brothers Philip and Costa, is one of the largest sisal estates in the world and the most expansive in East Africa.It occupies more than 32,000 acres.

Apart from sisal farming, the vast farm has also diversified into dairy and horticulture.

For many years now, the sisal farm has been embroiled in a tussle with residents of Singila and Majengo villages who claim the sisal farm management encroached on their ancestral land.

“The sisal farm extended its boundaries and annexed huge chunks of land belonging to the locals, planting sisal right at their doorsteps and turning them into squatters”says Mnjala Mwaluma the secretary of Mwasima Mbuwa Welfare Association,a land lobby group which has been fighting for the liberation of the land grabbed by the sisal farm.

“Recently, angry people invaded land belonging to the Kenyatta family in Kiambu county and it’s just a matter of when, not if ,the same happens in Taita-Taveta County. Locals are tired of living in poverty because of lack of land for development” says Mnjala.

He accused the county government of turning a blind eye to the suffering of the squatters at Majengo and Singila where most are being regularly harassed and arrested on accusations of trespassing on the vast farm.

Ranches and conservancies collectively occupy close to 1.1 million acres of land, even though most of them are dormant and their management are merely holding onto the huge tracts of land for speculative purposes.

In 2019 Taita-Taveta ranches launched an ambitious five year strategic plan under the Taita-Taveta Wildlife Conservancies Association (TTWCA) which recognized the over 900,000 acres of rangeland within Tsavo ecosystem as home to thousands of wildlife.

The TTWCA brought together 28 ranches and seven existing conservancies.

While the formation of TTWCA strategic plan was viewed as a game changer in the management of the vast rangelands, the benefits do not seem to trickle down to the local communities, five years later.

According to Mohamed Kamanya who has worked in Taita-Taveta conservancies for more than twenty years, the conservancies have a total turnover of close to Sh3 billion annually.

One billion comes from carbon trade while Sh1.5 billion and Sh 500m come from artisanal mining and livestock respectively.

However, Kamanya intimates that most of the conservancies are led by members of close families who ensure that the leadership and management does not slip out of their hands for their selfish interests.

“These conservancies are run by cartels who create a thriving ground for criminal enterprises to thrive, while denying the Taita-Taveta residents their rightful share of

these resources.

He says its time the county government shined a spotlight on the management of these conservancies to ensure that there is accountable leadership and also for these conservancies to pay the requisite taxes.

“Majority of conservancies do not pay land rates and other concomitant taxes such as VAT, capital gain, excise and income. In fact they have deliberately registered community trusts as a way of circumventing taxation regimes” he says.

On the other hand, the dormant ranches have over the years being embroiled in land tussles with squatters and investors who claim to have bought sections of the land. Currently about 3,500 squatters occupying land said to belong to Ndara A group ranch near Voi town are facing eviction after a company called Sparkle went to court claiming to have bought the land at Sh12m from Bata shoe company.

According to records, Bata acquired the land on a 99 year lease in 1979 from the ministry of lands to put up a shoe factory, which would have created employment opportunities for locals.

However ,the factory came a cropper as Bata relocated the same to Limuru.

Since then the land has been dogged by controversy, with hundreds settling there and putting up permanent and semi-permanent structures.

One of the squatters Alfred Mnjama said the disputed land was their ancestral right.

“Our grandparents leased the land to Bata company to put up a shoe factory which they never did and it was wrong for the company to sell the land to another company without our consent” said Mnjama.

An ambitious multibillion Diaspora university project which was to be put up at Ndara B group ranch has so far failed to kick off due to a standoff between the ranch management, section of leaders and the Diaspora university committee. investors

The university had earmarked 6,000 acres of the land to put up a university at a tune of Sh100 billion.

In 2018,the then governor Granton Samboja vowed to stop the construction of the university, questioning the procedures used by the investors to secure the land. However, Ndara B ranch chairman Benjamin Mwandaa said members of Rong’e and Sagalla had agreed to cede part of the land for the project.

“The views of the public were sought and residents agreed to support the project” Mwandaa said, adding that the land in question was registered and had a title deed.

“The people claiming that they will be displaced by the project are not rightful landowners but squatters” he said. A former MP who did not want to be quoted said for the county to develop, locals should be allowed to purchase parts of the idle land in ranches and sisal farms at an affordable price.

“Land is a key factor of production and one way out of poverty is to empower locals to own land and get title deeds which they can use as collateral to access loans from banks and other lending institutions” he said.

The former legislator said the county government should also acquire part of the land and use it for development projects that would generate revenue for the county.

The Voi and Taveta sisal estates have undergone numerous management changes over the years, with parts being hived off for development.

President Ruto is among those who acquired part of the vast Taveta sisal estate that had been up for sale after controversial former area MP Basil Criticos failed to pay a loan he owed the National Bank.

In February this year, Criticos was awarded more than Sh2.5 billion by the High Court after he won a 15 year court battle with National Bank in a case where the former legislator had sued the lender for compensation for auctioning his farm while undervaluing most of the developments therein.

Angry Taveta residents destroy a fence that was erected by a private developer at a wildlife corridor in Mata: Skewed distribution of a time bomb waiting to explode in Taita-Taveta County

Elephants in Tsavo National game reserve so that tourism

the powder land distribuCounty

Why greed and lack of transparency in leadership is the bane of Taita-Taveta conservancies

invested heavily on real estate projects in Nairobi and Mombasa.

Five years ago more than 28 ranches and 7 conservancies came together and unveiled an ambitious Strategic plan under the Taita- Taveta WIldlife Conservancies Association(TTWCA), a move that formally recognized the over 1.1m acres of rangeland within Tsavo Ecosystem as home to thousands of wild animals. This was seen as a game changer that would rejuvenate the conservancies and make them key revenue sources for the county. However, according to Mohamed Kamanya who has been working in these conservancies for more than twenty years , this ambitious goal has not been realized largely due to lack of transparency and accountability in the conservancies leadership. He says there has been no recruitment drive for decades as the key officials fear being ousted therefore failing to hold Annual General Meetings(AGMs) as required by law.

“Partisan governance and insatiable greed is the order of the day” he says adding that this has locked out Taita-Taveta residents from participating or benefitting from these conservancies.

“Only a handful of about 400 individuals are the custodians of these important resources. They manage these conservancies with an iron fist and are hellbent on seeing that the status quo remains” he says.

Kamanya says these cartels managing the conservancies have created a thriving ground for criminal enterprises and syndicates to thrive.

“There’s no accountability and transparency on wildlife and donor funding of about $1.5bn as only a handful of TTWCA members who are close relatives know how the money is spent” says the official. This has denied the Taita –Taveta residents an opportunity to enjoy the proceeds from these conservancies while the cartels have

Kamanya says majority of these conservancies do not pay or under declare land rates and other concomitant taxes such as VAT, capital, gain excise and income.

They have deliberately registered community trusts as a way of circumventing taxation regimes.

“Women and youth participation is wanting and below par while kinship seems to be the qualification for employment” he says. The conservancies have a gross annual turnover of about Sh3bn, mainly from livestock, artisanal mining and carbon trade.

Other key highlights of the shortcomings in the conservancies include:

*Illegally registered majority of the communities who are bona fide members of the ranches and swallowed their shareholding.

*Refusal to make the original documents used to set up the ranches and structures thereof and shareholding that’s all inclusive.

*Forged certificates of incorporation, illegally removing the other shareholders from the communities.

*Less than 5 per cent of the community own more than 80 per cent of the land available to the community.

*Total number of staff employed by conservancies in the county is about 780 community

private of land is

National Park: Local leaders want Tsavo West converted to a tourism revenue can be ploughed back into the county

Livestock at a ranch in Taita-Taveta County: Lack of transparency and accountability has been cited as a major problem in the management of the conservancies

It’s a dog’s life for Voi sand harvesters despite rising demand for the commodity

Hannah Kitala’s feet are half buried in water as she frantically scoops out sand from the river bed with a shovel. She tightens the leso around her waist and sighs deeply.

With one hand akimbo, she motions to her two other colleagues, who take the cue and begin ferrying the sand to the riverside with plastic buckets.

The sun is scorching hot but the women seem unconcerned as they go about their business. This is their way of life and they have learnt to endure whatever challenges come their way.

Apart from dealing in sand harvesting, Kitala and her colleagues also undertakes environmental activities.

“We have established a tree nursery in our village, part of whose seedlings we intend to plant by the river banks” says Kitala.

She says the recent move by the government to slap a blanket ban on sand harvesting is not a good idea as this is a source of livelihood for hundreds of youths in the area as well as providing a vital material for the construction industry.

“We are aware of the grave danger that uncontrolled sand harvesting can have on this important water source but we have taken the initiative to protect the river banks since our activities are limited to just enough sand that we can sell while the rest remains to hold the river bed in place” she says.

Kitala says the locals need to be empowered to sustainably exploit sand as a resource and at the same time conserve the environment .

“The price of the commodity should be raised to enable the genuine sand dealers get enough money to meet their immediate needs. We deserve to benefit from our labour but not the unscrupulous middlemen,” she says.

Another sand harvester John Mginda laments that they get very little from the sand that they scoop from the river despite toiling day and night to earn a living from the trade.

“While a tonne of sand costs over Sh3,000 in Mombasa here we are paid a paltry Sh120” complained the sand dealer, adding that the lion’s share of the proceeds go into the pockets of middlemen while the local sand harvesters languish in poverty.

He said the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has failed to come up with a clear policy on sustainable sand harvesting procedures, thereby giving unscrupulous middlemen the leeway to fleece the sand harvesters.

“The government has been too eager to ban sand harvesting instead of assisting sand harvesters make a living from the resource while at the same time conserve the environment” the youth said.

In fact on many occasions NEMA has been accused of burying its head in the sand as this vital water source is laid to waste through unsustainable sand har-

vesting, block making by the river banks and stone harvesting

On the other hand a raft of sand harvesting guidelines crafted by NEMA some years ago seem to have largely come a cropper.

These guidelines stipulated, among other conditions, that there should be special sand harvesting locations where the exact amount of the commodity harvested should be documented.

Upon completion of sand harvesting , the right tree species had to be planted in the gullies left behind.

The guidelines further demanded that the lorries accessing the sand harvesting sites use designated routes to and from the sites. These had to be about 50 meters away from the river banks.

At the same time sand transporters were to give priority of hiring of sand loaders to persons living in the vicinity of the sand harvesting sites who should be of good conduct and certified by the local administration and the NEMA.

regulations

According to these regulations, the proceeds from sand cess or revenue collected through harvesting of the commodity should be invested in local community projects.

Previous efforts to rehabilitate the Voi river both by the then Voi Municipal Council and other NGOs have been short-lived with no lasting solution in sight towards the full rehabilitation of this invaluable water source.

A couple of years ago the Water Resources Management Authority(WRMA) had come up with a proposal to rehabilitate the Voi river all the way to Aruba Dam in Tsavo East National Park at a tune of Sh500m.

This was to include the erection of sand dams at various points along the river in order to hold back sand and reduce erosion. However the project never took off.

Mwazindika, dance for the gods and enchanted spirits in Taita traditional society

Mwazindika is a Taita traditional dance for the gods as well as celebrating life. Traditionally, the mwazindika was also used to exorcise evil spirits especially in women.

The dance has in fact remained a cultural showcase of all times, and no public function in Taita is complete without the Mwazindika dance being performed , usually to the excitement and ululation of all.

Mwazindika dance mainly involves drums, which are accompanied by a Taita traditional horn(lwembe). At times even a sharp whistle is used to drive up the rhythm. Other accompaniments include jingles which are fastened on the dancers’ ankles and ululations from women dancers.

In some places such as Bura in Taita, there is a variation of Mwazindika locally known as "gonda", where a wooded board laid on the ground is truck rhythmically with dry wooden poles.

"Traditionally, male elders played the drums while the women danced and ululated. In some parts of Taita it was taboo for women to play the drums, but nowadays it's not uncommon to see women also playing the drums. A lot of things have changed, but the vibrancy and heartrending nature of Mwazindika remains," says Mzee Dishon Mwalui, a Taita elder.

In the days of yore, Mwazindika was played on various occasions both to celebrate life, for entertainment and also to appease the gods of the Wadawida so that they could bless the Taita community.

The dance was performed during the birth of a baby boy, especially from a prominent family such as a chief’s family where the baby boy was expected to be an heir apparent.

According to Mzee Mwalui, the dance would be performed to the visitors who turned up to pay homage to the new born baby to appease the gods so that the boy could be inspired to be a wise leader in future.

Mwazindika was also performed during circumcision rites for both boys and girls during the years of yore, a rite of passage that bespoke a foray into adulthood.

Traditionally, when Taita youth reached puberty and were about to be ushered into adult life, he or she was secluded( kuaikwa) where they were taught the secrets of adult life by elders.

When they came out of seclusion a ceremony would be conducted to welcome them back into the large community during which the Mwazindika was performed as well as beer drinking by the elders.

The dance was also performed during harvest time as a thanksgiving to the gods for blessing the community with food as well as when Taita warriors returned from war with their aggressive neighbours.

"When Taita fighters returned from battle a big ceremony would be held to welcome them back. There would be beer drinking, pouring libations to the ancestors which would be followed by the sharing of the livestock and other properties that the fighters had taken away from their enemies including women. This was called "kusara". This time of celebrating victory would be marked by mwazindika dance and beer drinking by elders and the seers" says Mzee Mwalui.

However, one of the prime functions of the mwazindika dance was excorcising evil spirits, pepo, especially in women.

The affected women would be given a slightly sickening herbal concoction called "mwalola" and invited to performs the dance as the seers and elders chanted and admonished the spirits to leave the victims. The dance would go on and on till the victim went into a state of delirium and would collapse. She would then have cold water poured on her body till she was still and calm. After a while the victim would come back to her senses and walk away free from

Voi gospel artiste Ruth Okachia big breakthrough as she releases collabo with Rose Muhando

Ruth Okachia has hit another milestone in her spiritual and musical career after releasing her new album Mwachie Mungu(Leave it to God) which she did in collaboration with renowned Tanzanian gospel artiste

Rose Muhando.

The album which also features dancers from the Voi Birikani Voice of Kings Church serves as yet another pointer to the singer’s desire to reach new heights in her music career.

“I have always admired Rose Muhando because of her spiritually uplifting music. In fact she is among my favorite artistes and doing this collabo with her is a dream come true” said Okachia.

She says while she earns a living from doing various businesses in Voi town, music to her is more of a calling than a means of making money.

is among the 8 video tracks in her first album titled “Acha Dhambi”.

“In writing this song,I was calling upon all Kenyans to embrace love and peaceful coexistence so that we can hold together as one nation despite our tribal and political differences. I was more concerned about the political situation in the country in the wake of the general elections and sought to call on Kenyans to live in harmony to avoid a repeat of the post poll violence that almost brought down our nation in 2007/2008”, said the artiste during an interview.

“I sing gospel music to nurture my God –given talent and not necessarily to make money” says the artiste adding that so far she has been footing the cost of production of the music, while she writes, composes and distributes.

the demonic spell that had gone into her.

In fact the Mwazindika dance has its close equivalent among the Luo community of Nyanza in the “miend juogi”.

This is according to a report titled, “Healing Dances: A case study of the Luo Juogi and the Dawida Mwazindika Dances” by Charles Orawo Nyakiti published in The International Journal of Business and Social Sciences.

“During “miend juogi” and “mwazindika” dance ceremonies, the dancers dramatize the activities of the healing process. To perform the act of cleansing the possessed, the cleanser moves to the possessed, and pours water on the head. During such activities, the dance becomes more provoking and involving. The dance climax is known as “yiengo juogi”, for “juogi” and “benzi” for mwazindika. This is one of awe, wonder and admiration at the techniques of the drummers, especially the ones who play master drums ( “min bul” for juogi and the “shimba mbaa” for mwazindika). The “shimba mbaa” player steals the show, especially when “kuzira ngoma” or “kushevera ngoma”. The idea behind pouring water on the heads of the possessed is to assist them get rid of the evil spirits”, the report says .It goes on: “The significance of the spirits is medical as it is believed that these spirits caused diseases whose cure lay in the dealing with them. It could be said that it was the diseases which were spiritualized, in the same way the illnesses were diagnosed in terms of the anger of the ancestral spirits, or the curse of the living parents. If it was stomach ache, headache, miscarriage and

other diseases that are spiritualized, the techniques of treatment deal not only with the physical aspects; the patient was given herbs to drink or rub on the affected part, but at the same time receives psychological treatment as well. It is important to note that the complaints that deal with spirit possessions in the two communities are cases of anxiety.

The diseases attributed to ancestral spirits result from guilt as a dominant factor. This is because the ancestors are angry because they have been neglected, because somebody among the living has not done his or her duty”.

“Sometimes I use some of the money I make from my businesses to pay for the recording because I feel a strong desire to communicatemy inner desires are through music” she says.

Okachia says the Voice of Kings Church family has been very supportive of her musical endeavors.

“The Voice of Kings Church is my spiritual bedrock from which I derive the inspiration to continue singing. We are one closely knit family and I am happy about it” she said.

Okachia’s songs are about the things that happen in our day to day lives, and more so our relationship with each other.

A good example is the song “Mpende Jirani ”which

Okachia says that while she would like to sell her music to reach as many people as possible the high costs of production remains a challenge, adding that it’s hard to break even and recoup the production expenses.

Her advice to gospel artistes is that they should stick to that genre and strive to make their compositions better instead of changing into secular music.

“I believe that consistence pays and at one point an artiste will realise their full potential” she says.

Other notable songs to her credit include “Acha Dhambi”, “Pokea maombi yangu”, “Washa moto”, “Usikate Tamaa” among others.

Voi gospel artiste

Rising mental illnesses in Voi , a crisis many are overlooking

To a casual observer, Willy Mumo Kasuki is just an ordinary businessman at the Voi lower market.

The smart, soft-spoken and unassuming father of five goes about his regular business errands, raising resources to support his family like anybody else does.

However, Willy has been living with mental illness for more than twenty years.

In fact he doesn’t hesitate to recount the tribulations he has undergone as a mentally ill person.

He says some of his close relatives used to treat him with disdain while others chose to ignore him as a lost cause.

At the worst they kept away from him fearing that the condition may strike at any moment.

He says his first wife was taken away by his parents- inlaw after he began developing mental problems.

He says were it not for his second wife who has been taking care of him, including helping him take the prescribed drugs regularly, probably he could be among the many mentally ill patients roaming Voi town and its environs.

In fact Mumo’s case is a clear pointer that mental illness, once detected early, can be put in check.

“The government needs to think about putting up a rehabilitation center in TaitaTaveta county to help these mentally ill patients” says Mumo.

However, the story of Lilian Mkita from Mwakingali village in the outskirts of Voi town is a depressing one.

Mkita has been having a hectic time with her mentally ill son who dropped out of school in form three.

“My son was doing well in school until second term in form three when he refused to go back to school. His excuse was that he was being bullied by other students. This did not sound normal for me since it’s usually form ones who get bullied by older students. I went to school to enquire from the principle about my son’s problem. But to my utter dismay, the principle told me that my son had been complaining of being attacked by strange people in the dormitory. Eventually he disappeared from school”.

The distraught mother says that his son has now turned the house into a military garrison of sorts, setting up armories of all kinds. He moves around the compound with a wooded plank, taking aim as though he was a commando knocking down enemies in a high noon desert duel.

On some occasions, Mkita’s son disappears only to resurface after several days, look-

ing hungry and haggard. She says the illness comes in spells, especially during the cold season.

“I think my son is bewitched because he was doing very well in school,” the woman says ruefully.

This is just one of many cases that have come to characterize the rise and rise of mentally ill people in Voi town. Even though they say that every market has at least a mad person, Voi town has more that its fair share of metal sick persons.

The bus park is now resembling a lunatic asylum and unless spiritual leaders take action this tourism resort town may soon have its image totally dented by these homeless and sorry souls.

While it may be a trifle unkind to describe these mentally ill people as an eyesore, it would be imperative if action was taken to put up a home for the mentally ill, where they can undergo rehabilitation and keep them away from the main town.

A survey by Taita-Taveta Express has revealed that within the Voi Central Business District, there are about thirty mentally ill persons, mostly male, lost in their own world, while other people go about their chores, unconcerned.

Chances are that you are likely to encounter a mentally sick person within a radius of between 20 to 50 metres. In the dead of the night, once you alight at Voi the bus park, you will not fail to catch sight of one of these sorry souls, sleeping on the verandahs, curved up like a carpenter’s ruler.

Their favorite haunt is the Coast Bus booking office. They troop to this popular rendezvous like moths to a lantern.

Some come with all their earthily belongings in sacks and old bags. These mentally sick people come from different parts of the county and according to some observers most of them have been neglected by their families or have run away to forage for foodstuffs and other items in town, which they cannot get in the village.

Frank Joseph, a witchbuster from Tanzania, says the problem is partly due to rampant witchcraft in Voi and Taita-Taveta as a whole.

“Local people only claim to be deeply religious but their actions are not. Most of those who claim to be religious adherents are themselves witches when darkness falls and are using demonic forces to settle scores with their foes,” says Frank, who also goes under the trade mark Maji Marefu.

He says sometimes the problem arises in some fami-

lies of superstitious people who believe in keeping demonic powers for protection and to get riches, only for these powers to turn against them with disastrous consequences.

A doctor in the town who sought anonymity however said stress of modern living can lead to mental illnesses which can go out of hand if not detected early and treated.

He says some of the cases referred to him are mainly of middle-aged workers who were retrenched early from some parastatals in town.

“I give such people counseling on how to handle obligations such as catering for their families in the face of the new challenges,” says the doctor. He points out that in situations where such people do not get proper counseling, they may eventually turn to drugs such as alcohol to look for solace and comfort, only for the problem to spiral out of control.{et