Sodom or social hub? Why Kakamega's Mwitikho club is pitting elders against Gen Z

 

Mwitikho, which means a pit, is located near River Sasala, on a site where sand was previously excavated for construction. [Mary Imenza, Standard]

When darkness falls over Eshisiru village in Kakamega County, the quiet of rural life gives way to a different kind of excitement.

Music blares, revellers trickle in, and the night gradually transforms into a party. Young men and women converge at a local entertainment joint, ready to drink, dance and forget the demands of the day.

But this is no ordinary village gathering. The entertainment spot, known as Mwitikho, has become a subject of heated debate, attracting not only young revellers but also older residents, some of whom have embraced the growing nightlife culture.

Mwitikho, which means a pit, is located near River Sasala, on a site where sand was previously excavated for construction.

For some residents, the club is a welcome addition to a village where entertainment options were once largely confined to urban centres

For others, however, it represents a disturbing departure from the social and cultural values that have traditionally defined their community.

Some elders have gone as far as comparing the village to biblical Sodom and Gomorrah, accusing the establishment of encouraging moral decay and exposing young people to harmful influences.

Their concerns have turned the entertainment joint into the centre of a heated debate over morality, generational differences and the changing face of rural communities.

Mwitikho, which means a pit, is located near River Sasala, on a site where sand was previously excavated for construction. [Mary Imenza, Standard]

But just when the elders expected their concerns to resonate across the village, Generation Z entered the debate with a different message: young people have a right to entertainment and will not surrender their social space without a fight.

The controversy has since attracted the attention of Lurambi MP Titus Khamala, who has publicly called for the club’s closure, adding a political dimension to what began as a village dispute over nightlife.

Khamala accuses the establishment of exposing school-going children to alcohol, drugs and other activities he considers dangerous. He warns that the consequences could undermine efforts to improve education in the constituency.

He said he had invested in building modern classrooms and did not want children whose education he was supporting to fall victim to drug and alcohol abuse when schools reopen in January.

“There is a club known as Mwitikho, and it has attracted underage school-going children.

Last Sunday, things were chaotic. There were cases of mugging, with people snatching belongings and even mobile phones from revellers along the road,” Khamala said.

The MP further alleged that the establishment was selling illicit alcohol and exposing young people to negative influences, particularly during the festive season when schools are closed.

Mwitikho, which means a pit, is located near River Sasala, on a site where sand was previously excavated for construction. [Mary Imenza, Standard]

“From what I witnessed personally when I passed by undercover, it is a crime scene. I declare it a crime scene that needs to be closed as quickly as possible,” he said.

Political survival

Khamala said he was unfazed by criticism from young people threatening to deny him votes over his position, insisting that protecting children was more important than political survival.

“As I speak, some people have developed hatred towards me, but when children drop out of school because of bhang addiction, what vote are we talking about? I am defending the children because they do not know how to reason. Whatever they see attracts them. If they hear church music, they will go, just as they will go to Mwitikho,” he said.

He maintained that he was not opposed to businesses operating in the area but wanted them to comply with the law, particularly regulations governing the sale of alcohol and the protection of minors.

“I know the law. I am a lawmaker, and issues involving the sexual exploitation of children are against the law. We are criticising the conduct, not the business itself. Even residents are complaining. In the middle of a quiet village, the place has become unsafe for my people. No one will threaten me. This is my home, and my responsibility is to protect my people,” he added.

For the elders, the concern is not necessarily that people are gathering to have fun. Rather, they question what they believe happens during these gatherings and the influence such activities could have on younger members of the community.

They worry about the example being set, changing social behaviour and the possibility that entertainment could come at the expense of family responsibilities and community values.

To some residents, the village’s reputation is also at stake.

Mwitikho, which means a pit, is located near River Sasala, on a site where sand was previously excavated for construction. [Mary Imenza, Standard]

“Mwitikho is destroying both women and men here. We are praying that the club is closed. Women no longer take care of their families. All they do is go clubbing with men, while their children also go out with other youths,” said resident Leah Nerima.

But among young people, the criticism has not gone down well.

On social media, youths have continued to condemn the MP’s push to have the establishment shut down, accusing him of interfering with their right to entertainment.

Some youths have challenged Khamala to face them at the club’s entrance, arguing that it has become their preferred entertainment spot.

“We have been enjoying entertainment from Blackstar Sounds and Supreme Sounds, and the MP is not being fair. Let us meet on Sunday. Carry your Sh100 entry fee and national identity card, and we meet at the door. You cannot close the club and expect us to agree just like that,” said Godwin Ke in a TikTok post.

Others have circulated posters mocking the MP’s campaign, insisting that entertainment does not amount to abandoning culture or morality.

“This is our CBD as youths. Let him stop bringing nonsense to us. MP Khamala, respect people and stop talking about our club. We are not closing it,” another youth said.