Voi is gearing up to become a major coastal town

No sooner has the bus ground to a halt at the Voi bus park than tens of hawkers, wares in hand, dash towards it and start enticing customers. As one is amazed by their determination to net customers, another lot of traders push their way to the customers in the bus — the boda boda riders. They meander their way to the bus door in search of passengers looking for transport to various destinations.

Strong coffee
Then there are brewers of ‘strong’ coffee. “A cup of coffee is all you need now to refresh you,” says a confident Gerald Kazungu. The aromatic coffee is enticing. As it were, Kazungu is already serving several customers.

“People in Voi love coffee.  In fact, it is like an addiction to some. No matter how hot it is some residents will still take a cup of coffee,” says Kazungu as he fans his jiko with an old newspaper, to get it to the right temperature for the perfect brew. The coffee drinkers enjoy their cup in the blazing sun. And they enjoy at any other time of the day — they say “any time is coffee time”.

Next to Kazungu is Heltan Mwanyange,  busy roasting green maize on his jiko made from an old tyre rim.
It is very hot and beads of sweat have collected on his nose and temple but he continues with his business as customers are patiently waiting for the maize to be ready.

Adequate security
It seems life in the town is on the fast lane because this buzz goes on all the time. At dusk, when you expect it to slow down, it is like Voi has just woken up. There is no difference between day and night, it is one activity after another — and people always rushing to accomplish something.

“Voi residents enjoy doing their businesses round the clock because of the adequate security in the town. Security is very important for any town to prosper and develop,” says Voi District officer George Matundura.

Teeming nightlife
The teeming nightlife has been made vibrant by the many night clubs and other businesses associated with drinking, dancing and making merry.

In fact, commercial sex workers have a thriving business as they hop from one night club to another looking for clients.
Just like the other business people at the bus park and along the town’s streets, they don’t fear for their security.

“No one harasses us. If we don’t agree with a client, we let that business transaction be,” confides one sex worker, who gave her name as Auntie Monica. “But if we strike a deal, we go ahead and there is nothing to fear.”

Voi mayor Thomas Mwatela speaks highly of his fast growing town.

“The town has the potential of becoming a major city in the near future judging from the strides being recorded in business and housing development.” says Mr Mwatela.

There was a time when Voi nearly became the Taita-Taveta County headquarters but this didn’t work. Instead Mwatate maintained the position as the country headquarters.

“Despite the fact that Voi lost the opportunity, all is not lost as the town will record major gains once the proposed inland container depot becomes operational on the 100-acre land near the railway station,” says Mr Mwatela.

Mwatela says Voi has several advantages that propel urbanisation centres towards growth including the tourism industry at Tsavo National Park, a railway line and the busy Nairobi-Mombasa highway.

There is also a thriving gemstone mining activity in the area. Mwatela hopes gem mining will soon lead to establishment of a gemstone cutting factory.

Job opportunities
“More job opportunities will be created if the gemstones are cut and processed in the town unlike in the current scenario where most of the precious stones are sold as raw materials,” says Mwatela.

Although these natural gems — gemstone and wildlife — set Voi in a good position for take-off, there are other things such as lack of land for extension that might just derail it, says Danson Mabruk, a Voi resident.

Says Mabruk, “More than 90 per cent of the land in Voi is in private hands and unless the council gets land for expansion, this might be an impediment.

Without land for expansion and the fact that there are no industries in the town,  Voi is likely to miss an opportune moment to achieve greater glory.

Move to other towns
Lack of sustainable industries, says Richard Juma, a trade unionist, has forced local youths to move to other towns to look for jobs.

A former civic leader in Voi  Zaccheaus Maghanga says lack of affordable housing is also another big challenge to Voi’s development.

His hope is that next year’s incoming county government will address the issues of squatters and informal settlements which, apart from being an eyesore pose an impediment to town planning and development.

With its great potential, say local leaders, Voi is set to excel and probably do better than many towns around the country.