Con lesson sends herders to school

Adult Education student Julius Silawa writes what he has learnt in class in Olking'e sub-county, Laikipia North. ON 25/02/2017 PHOTO: JENIPHER WACHIE

As the country prepared for Christmas festivities last year, residents of Ol Kinyei, Laikipia North Sub-county, waited with enthusiasm. Christmas was a time for them to make money.

The predominantly herding community always cashes in on customers coming from far flung counties looking for livestock to slaughter during the end year celebrations.

On December 23, Silawa Kirobi, 47, and his friends saw a truck snaking towards them. “We knew it was time to make a big sale,” he says.

The occupants of the truck had a different request from the ones who had visited before. They wanted to buy goats but did not have a specific number in mind.

“They said they wanted as many goats as could fill their vehicle,” says Kirobi.

He describes what followed as one of the most traumatising experiences of his life. Together with his friends, they loaded the truck as the occupants kept demanding for more, claiming they did not have issues with payment. Kirobi says he gave them 23 goats, which would cost a total of Sh90, 000.

RETURN FOR MORE

Within a few minutes, he got a message on his phone that the money transaction had been successful – or so he thought. As he saw the customers off, they assured him they would return to buy more.

Hours later he realised he had been conned. The buyers had composed the message and forwarded it to him disguised as one from M-Pesa.

“When I went to the agent to withdraw the money, I was told the message was not from M-Pesa,” he says.

Kirobi, who lacks formal education, says the event marked a start of a new life for him. After recollecting himself from the loss, he made a decision to learn how to read.

“I realised in this age where everyone does transactions on phones and computers, if I don’t learn how to read, I will lose more,” he says.

Silvia Minyariti, a teacher who offers classes for adults at Ol Kinyei, says the past years have seen many adults registering to learn the basics of reading and writing. She says most of her students complain about people from big towns who visit, pretending to be buyers, but end up stealing from them. 

“People have taken advantage of the illiteracy among pastoralists and herders; but that is about to change,” she says.

Nicholas Terer, Samburu County Adult Education Officer, noted that the shift on how people trade has created the need for people, even those in communities that never prioritised education, to enroll for classes.

He said illiterate people, especially in marginalised communities, always fall victim to conmen and propagandists, especially in political seasons.