THE DUST HAS SETTLED

A crop field

Ukambani is a coined term used to refer to the Kenyan lower Eastern region, predominantly occupied by the ethnic Kamba community. To some people Ukambani is synonymous with hunger and starvation. The truth though is every part of Ukambani is unique and some are agricultural hotbeds (contrary to popular belief), producing quality products all year round. The region has three counties: Machakos, Kitui and Makueni. I hail from the first. Yes, that county where everything is done with flair. We have ambulances; at least one in each sub-county and some patrol cars. When these arrived, people were so excited with valid reasons- most of us had never seen an ambulance on our village road or a police patrol car pack at the chief’s office. We made headlines for a great reason.

We believed we were like the hot kid in the estate who has rich parents, attends the best school and has the most hyped birthday parties. The media was awash with stories of how cool our county was. Folks from other counties wanted to be in our county (am serious! you should have heard the conversations in the local market when those cars arrived.)

But, just like every part of Ukambani is unique so are the sub counties that make up Machakos county. When I say I come from Machakos County so often people show glitter on their faces. Of course I do that with intent to improve dress myself with the colourful ‘cool kid’ image. I feel good when I believe people think I come from a cool place (who knows, maybe they don’t think what I think they are thinking).

But trust me my rural home is another image of the ornate county. We don’t have tarmacked roads, we don’t have flowers planted by the road side, and we still rely on kerosene lamps for lighting- except for few middle class families who can afford solar panel installation. Nevertheless we still ride on the ‘fancy’ name of Machakos County when need arises (mostly for our egos).

The prominent source of livelihood in my home is agriculture. And right now things are very rosy.

<<Rewind

Yes, to a time that was turbulent. A time when Mother Nature had conspired against us. The year 2009. The devolved unit Machakos County as we know it today was not there and there was certainly no flair. President Kibaki sat on the presidency seat and we had a Prime Minister’s office.

In a year we have two planting seasons- November/ December and April/ May; Short rains and Long rains, respectively. The 2008 November/ December harvest was fair, way below the needed amount. In fact due to low supply of maize (our staple crop), the prices were low. But agriculture is everything to us, we sold the maize to settle loans, send children to school, buy extra pair of shoes and clothes for the family and saved a little for consumption as we waited for the April/ May planting season in 2009.

In March 13^th 2009, local dailies wrote of a warning by the Meteorological Department ‘…the long rains expected between March and may are likely to be depressed.’ By the end of March the prospects of rain were dim and aloof. Despite the imminent reality of drought and warning by the Meteorological department farmers in my rural home went ahead to plant. I mean, farming is main way they knew to survive, it was all they had; so they buckled up and rode to the market to purchase seeds whose prices had already skyrocketed. They ploughed putting in their time, money and hope and looked above for the rains. But nothing came; their money, time and hope remained under the soil and begun to rot.

As months went by, hunger begun to bite; starvation and despair became the stark order of the day. Most families did not have an alternative source of income or food, and life another turn for the worse. The bodies of some sick and old people gave in, so they left this troubled world hopefully to a better one. Pupils who could not attend class on empty stomachs chose to stay at home. And the cattle begun to just fall down and die. The walls were caving in and the clamour was heard by the government (SMH) and the corporate society. It wasn’t only people from my rural home that were crying, it was also people from; Mandera, Wajir, Garrissa, Isiolo, Marsabit, Moyale…(you name it).

The Kenyan government known to have a fetish for eleventh hour action; appealed to the international community for help and declared famine a national emergency. The Corporate Society led initiatives to crowdfund: My own home area became a beneficiary of the ‘Mutui Museo’ (good neighbour) initiative. Though I was miles from home still pursuing my Secondary Education, I felt the impact of the famine; as my family to a good extent relied on income from agriculture. 

The same ill fate befell us in 1984/ 85. In fact there are households that never recovered from the 84/ 85 drought. As they buried friends who had fallen and their cattle, they buried some of their dreams and expectations of life, their lives were forever altered for the worse.

>>flash-forward

We have not been darned to this cold and sad history. Like I told you things are quite rosy right now.

For obvious reasons, when the meteorological department announced in 2015 that there would be more rains across the country (El Nino), many people in my home area were skeptical. They sneered at the reports and warning.

By October 2015 heavy rains started across the country and we joined the rhythm. We had a bumper harvest that season. We are already into the March/ May planting season, the rains have fallen graciously and our galleries are still full.

(Can I get an AMEN!!?)

An excited woman shows off her produce

But you must know that a bumper harvest means different things for different people at home.

There is a single mum who will sell off part of her produce to settle her children’s school fee arears. She has been selling lies to the school principal to keep them in school; and so this is her time to mend all the broken promises. She will also buy them new school uniform and new shoes, the ones they are currently using cannot see a tailor anymore and she needs them to feel comfortable and confident as they study. Oh! She hopes they can change the stories of their lives.

Then there is the mama with an insatiable appetite for posh ‘kitenges’. She will call the dealer to negotiate a price for the produce. Immediately she receives her dues, she will ride a bodaboda to pay the tailor a visit. If the kids and husband are lucky, they will be factored in the budget, but she must come first. Then she will be rest assured of ‘beating’ competition all the women in church as far as dress code is concerned.

There is the alcoholic husband and dad. Since he is married to ‘Karua’, he will wait for her to leave for a ‘Kyathe’ (merry go round meet-up), then call a dealer whom he had already made prior plans with. He won’t even negotiate a price for the produce. “Leta tu chenye uko nayo”, he will hastily say. After all he just needs enough to pay for his accrued bill at the local brew den. Then he can drink on credit again. The dealer will pay him peanuts. Then give him a lift on his motor bike to his usual brew den. He will caution the dealer against using a route where they might meet with his wife (‘Karua’ is known to be very unpredictable). On learning her husband is going on a drinking spree, she might pounce on him. Not that he is scared of drama (he is used to it!), he does not want a broken leg; see, he just recovered from a broken arm and nose!

After coming home drunk for several nights, ‘Karua’ will make classified investigations to find out whether her husband has been paying for his drinks. Then she will discover that he already cleared his bill and has promised the brewer he will bring more money. Because she is a brilliant woman she will inspect the sacks of food in the store, and know that her husband has been ‘stealing’.

She will caution him against spending the harvest on frivolous leisure: But she won’t stop there, no! She will purchase a big ass brand new padlock and lock up the store then put the keys around her neck. To get the keys he (her husband) will have to literally run her down and over. But you know he can’t!!

Additional info: I want to thank my dad (who is quite literally a walking library as far as history is concerned), for the assistance he offered me while preparing this piece. ‘Am lucky to have you as a partner in this journey. Asante’