Growth: Chwele Market offering services and products not found

Written by  Saenyi Daniel  Donkeys delivering fresh produce from the differnt areas: Mt. Elgon, Bungoma West, East, and South to the Chwele market.  As early as 4 A.M Chwele market –Kenya’s second largest market is abuzz with business activities.  Marketers are rushing in and out of the market in a bid to secure the freshest goods. Situated in Chwele town in Bungoma West district, Chwele market supplies different parts of Kenya with fresh food supplies at very affordable price. The market is situated at a central point to serve people from all sides of the country like Mt. Elgon, Bungoma West, East, and South. This is the major contributing to it being ranked the second largest in Africa. Being the second largest market in Africa, Chwele market lacks proper infrastructure to sustain the large scale business transactions conducted in the area. To counter the poor infrastructural short comings, the chwele business community has been forced to rely heavily on donkeys, carts and motorbikes as their major means of transport. The drainage system of the market is currently dilapidated and leaves much to be desired. The market that runs from the wee hours of the morning till late in the might is an eye sore since merchants have to trudge through thick mud while transacting business. However, the County Council of Chwele town is currently trying to solve the problem by increasing the tax levy that is paid by traders in the market to help supplement the renovation of the market to suit its international status as a business center. Recently, commodities sold at the market are experiencing a drop in the prices of different commodities, and many business people attribute this to the increase in their supply due to the favorable weather conditions. The prices of Irish Potatoes are now selling at Sh. 1500 per sack a decline from Sh. 3500, the price of tomatoes have dropped to Sh. 2700  from a previous Sh. 3500 per sack. A sack of Cabbages is has also dropped by Sh. 50 from SH. 500. Onions are now selling at Sh. 1500 from Sh. 3000 and Green grams have decreased from Sh. 300 to Sh. 250. The prices of beans have also dropped with Lwakhakha beans selling at Sh. 120 per 2kgs from a previous Sh. 160. Tanzania beans are also going for Sh. 120 per 2kgs, a drop from Sh. 180, Wairimu beans at Sh. 120 per 2kgs from Sh. 160. Some livestock have also reduced considerably in price with Sheep going for Sh. 4,800 from Sh.6, 000 and Goats selling at Sh. 2,500 from Sh. 2,800. Chicken prices have dropped by 50 with Cocks going for Sh. 450, while chicken are selling at Sh. 350. Despite major drops in prices, some commodities such as mangoes and oranges have steadily increased in price since they are out of season among other reasons. Fruit vendors blamed the high cost of living and scarcity of the commodity for the increase in prices. As the shilling has been losing its value against the dollar, the price of Mitumba clothing has drastically increased. A bale of clothes weighing 45 Kilograms has increased from Sh. 13000 to Sh. 15500. Buyers at the market were especially mortified by the steadily increasing price of maize per 2 kilograms that is now at Sh. 120 from Sh. 60. Speaking to West FM, a Chwele county Council officer Mr. Henry Wanyonyi, an increase in cattle price is attributed to the ban of the Pokot Herdsmen from bringing their cattle to the Market. He also added that since its harvesting season, most farmers use their farm produce and don’t need to sell cattle and this is leading to scarcity of the animal. Currently the price of Ox is Sh. 23,000, an increase from Sh. 17,600 and the Cow is going for Sh. 20,000 from a previous Sh. 18,000. A calf is selling at Sh. 7,800 from a previous Sh.6, 500 all because of the looming shortage in livestock supply.

Street children speak out ahead of the Day of the African Child

Written by Daniel Saenyi

Altogether for urgent action for street children is the theme for the Day of the African Child celebration which will be celebrated all over the world on 16^th of June. In Bungoma County, street children are set to have day of their life as they prepare to celebrate these day at Bungoma Poster Grounds.

As much as the day is to make these children forget some of their troubles, they still can’t put behind them the difficulties they have to face daily. The hustle through life with each day taking care of itself. They have to sleep through the cold nights and sunny days with no one to look up to but themselves for survival.

One of the bright and hopeful face of Africa's future through its children.

Salim Alfan narrates, life on the streets is survival for the fittest as they constantly fight for food and have begged for leftovers. Their only plea is that some of them are willing to go to school if they are given a chance.

“Out here we have children of all ages; sometimes the streets get really tough for them as some of the children are too young to be out here. The easily get infected with all kinds of ailments and we don’t have money to take them to hospitals,’” said Alfan

As though life is not hard enough for these children, they are constantly harassed by residents of the town and the police as most of them claim. Suleiman Kioko a street kid says they are always the first suspects of any theft.

“We are mostly harassed by the residents and the police saying we are thieves even when we are innocent. We get beaten up and no one cares to help us because we are children of the streets. We are always running from someone daily,” said Kioko.

Salim Alfan (middle) one of the street children in Bungoma town. photo/ Daniel Saenyi.

Life on the streets is clearly hard enough as it is, but the streets are always getting an increase in the number of street kids. Most of them claim that life on streets is way better as compared to their homes; some of them are just runaways while others are orphaned due to different issues.

“Most of us out here are run away from home because of different issues, some ran away from ill treatment of step-parents while some see the poverty on the streets is better as compared to their state at home,” said Kioko.

The streets are getting high numbers of street children because Bungoma doesn’t have a centre for street children that can accommodate them.

On celebrating the day of the African Child, the Bungoma committee for the African Child has organized the celebration to address the issues facing the street kids and how to help them. The day will involve sensitizing the community of how we can put up with these children and to help them.

They will get new clothes and food donations from different organizations and have football matches against non street children which the street kids promise to win.

According to Pastor Patrick Siabuta, the chairman of the African Child Committee, as much as the celebration is all some of them will get, those who are willing to leave the streets will be given a chance to go to school by the African Child Committee.

“Some of the children who want to leave the streets will be given temporary home while the committee looks for a permanent home them. Bungoma has enough resources to accommodate the children who want get education’” Said Pastor Siabuta.

As Bungoma is on the eve of the African child Celebration, its about time we take in consideration the tough life they face and try to come up with ways to help them.