Where normal rules don’t apply

By Juma Ombuya

There is a residential estate in Homa Bay called Shauri Yako, which loosely translates to ‘it’s up to you’.

For lack of a better explanation, it is the most notorious estate in Homa Bay. It has the highest population and for this reason, it has the most crowded primary school in the district, Shauri Yako Primary School.

It is no secret that the most violent and stubborn sons and daughters of Homa Bay are graduates of this school.

Life here is ‘shauri yako’. The roads are dilapidated and when it rains, it becomes impenetrable for motorists.

The estate has an unusually large number of underage pregnancies and school dropouts. Drug abuse is extensive and it is Homa Bay’s den of illegal brew. Children live in an atmosphere of lawlessness for most of their parents are single.

Recruit thugs

Adultery is commonplace. It was just recently that a class eight pupil was hacked to death by a man who found him with his wife. There is so much suspicion that strangers are easily identified. The stranger would in turn notice the mountains of garbage, flying toilets and mothers hurling frightful insults at their children.

And insecurity is rife. Criminal gangs and vigilante are in perpetual warfare.

When politicians want to recruit thugs to terrorise their opponents they first go to Shauri Yako. In fact, it is such an insecure place that it is a no-go zone for police officers at certain hours. I remember one time when we wanted to flush out a notorious gang and approached a police officer to help us. He quickly retorted, "Hapana, mkiwapata muwaue. Sisi wametushinda. Sasa mimi mmoja nitafanya nini?" (No, if you catch up with them kill them. We are unable to handle them, so what do you expect me to do alone?)

wrong reasons

It might help to know that all the ‘thieves’ who were recently killed by a mob near the bus stage, which was since christened The Hague, were from Shauri Yako.

It is always in the news for the wrong reasons. Any fire that guts a house in Homa Bay town must be in Shauri Yako estate. There are

frequent fire breakouts caused by quarrelling neighbours. The most serious fire incident was last year in which a man, his child and a relative perished. It was rumoured that his wife was behind the plot.

The numerous shanties in the estate make it difficult to access the houses. There is also a notorious plot where the residents gossip so much that they were once reprimanded on a vernacular radio station.

The residents are so depraved that a certain woman, after a drinking spree, decided to strip naked and pee in full view of children. When people tried to stop her, she resisted saying, "Ma en Sahuri Yako. Ubiro timo ang’o" (this is Shauri Yako. What will you do about it?)