Homa Bay town waking up from its long slumber

It has its own ‘parliament,’ where everyone, including elected leaders, come to openly debate issues with the common people.

It also has an unfinished giant bus park that locals fear is turning into a very white elephant.

Welcome to Homa Bay town, where the warm lake breeze meets cool winds from Homa Hills, and where vultures and Marabou storks are well fed from heaps of leftover fish by the lakeside, commonly known as ‘mgongo wazi’.

The cool breeze unleashes a lease of freshness in a calm afternoon in the many resorts dotting the beaches.

Homa Bay is a bay and a town on the south shore of Winam Gulf of Lake Victoria. The town lies near Homa Hill (Got Marahuma or God Uma in Luo language).

A drive into Homa Bay from Rongo reveals construction boom in the town, ranging from private developers to the county government projects.

The new bus terminus, whose construction has stalled and is said to be the biggest in the region, is the talk of the town. Residents are not sure if it will ever be completed.

There is a conflict between the county and national government on who should foot the bill. Its construction has left hundreds of traders displaced.

At the junction near the town’s biggest supermarket, boda boda motorcyclists line up ready for customers who buy fried fish, vegetables and fruits from the main market and those from the supermarket.

Of interest and optimism on county government is the current bid to Tarmac the town’s feeder road linking the post office to University of Nairobi’s extra mural learning centre.

Social gatherings are common in the town with, Posta ‘bunge’ grounds hosting a ‘parliament session’ daily where current affairs are discussed.

Campaign periods

This is one place local and national political figures identify with in their down-to-earth pretence during campaign periods, only to vanish after victory or defeat.

The town was recently treated to drama by Gor Mahia FC fans on their way to Awendo when they marched on streets with some tipsy ones peeing publicly on the road in full glare of astonished motorists. Residents have become used to such actions, especially during political rallies, though this one went a bit too far.

The town is the mother of many other towns in South Nyanza such as Rongo, Mbita, Migori and Oyugis but has been in slumber as far as development is concerned though things are changing since the coming of devolution.

Being the county’s administrative capital, growth in the hospitality industry has witnessed the emergence of better hotels such as Twin Towers and the Tourist Hotel.

Workshops of top organisations and NGOs are usually held here. Locals are upbeat that more is in the offing with ‘Jamawego’s’ grand programmes. ‘Jamawego’ is the nickname for governor Cyprian Awiti and it means ‘the great one from Mawego’.

A glimpse of the town’s daytime activities is a fraction of what Homa Bay town offers after sunset. During night, the town’s many joints awaken with live performances of ohangla and benga music.

Twilight girls dot these joints to offer their ‘much needed’ services and their number has never stopped swelling.

Tell us the interesting things about your town. We will pay Sh1,500 for every article we publish.

By Barack Oduor [email protected]