Why Kuria community sleep a step away from their cattle

A boy drives his family’s cattle into their shed in Nyameche village, Kuria East district [PHOTO: COLLINS ODUOR/STANDARD].

By MANGOA MOSOTA

Migori, Kenya; Five exterior doors lead to the mud-walled house with an enclosure that forms nearly a circle with dotes of cow-dung on the ground.

The exit has sturdy material made of barks of trees with three locks. This architectural design might look strange to many people, but for Esther Mbusiro, it is part of life for the Kuria community.

On steep hills bursting with serene green vegetation are villagers who have to sleep a metre or less away from their livestock. Mbusiro says cattle rustling has prompted unique mechanisms to protect their animals. There is unrelenting inter-clan, inter-tribal and cross-border cattle theft in the region.

Unique architecture

The 27-year-old mother of four takes The Standard on Saturday inside her cattle shed (boma) in Nyamiecho Village, Kuria East. This type of construction has been practised by the community for hundreds of years.

The Kuria community grow several crops, including millet, maize and sweet potatoes. However, cattle rearing is a key aspect of their socio-economic activities. In essence, cattle owners sleep surrounding their animals, a lucid sign of how they treasure them.

They construct their houses in such a way there is no space between one house and another. This is done to secure their cattle.

This form of construction is unlike those of their neigbouring Luo and Kisii communities, who put up the boma several metres away from their houses.

For the Kuria community, cattle rustlers can only access the shed from the entrance, enabling the owner to easily thwart their attempt. Although the cordon does not always deter cattle-rustlers, it often delays bandit attacks.

This gives the victims ample time to alert neighbours who come to their aid.

Daylight attacks

Allan Wambura, 27, from Wangira Village, says making the sturdy shed, locally known as Obori, is painstaking and takes several days.

“One has to hire more than 10 men who take close to two weeks. For many homesteads, the shed is a matter of life and death,” says Wambura, whose eight cows were recently stolen in broad daylight.

Incase of such brazen attacks, the boma becomes of no help, as the owner’s only option is to physically fend for his/her cattle.

Another resident, Protus Marwa, says hundreds of cattle rustlers believed to be from a neigbouring community, attacked a number of grazing areas one early afternoon last month.

“Some of them had guns. We tried to fight them with bows and arrows but it would not stop them,” says Marwa, 23, whose parents lost more than 10 cows.

For locals, who are fairly well-off economically, the space between their houses is filled with iron sheets. “If there are attackers, they will cause commotion as they attempt to access the cow shed,” says Paul Magutu with a grin.

Magutu, 45, owns a herd of more than 20 cows at his home in Matare area. He says poles were used by the community to protect their cattle in the past.

“This became unpopular as it was time-consuming,” he explains.

Magutu says the unique designs have on two occasions saved his herd of cattle from being stolen. “The commotion that ensued as they touched the iron-sheet awoke me, and when I opened my door they (cattle rustlers) took off,” he says.

Migori Deputy Governor Nelson Mahanga, who hails from Kuria East, says the boma design is a cultural undertaking in his community.

“Cattle are an asset in my community. As such, they shelter at night next to our houses,” he says. 

Oath taking

Magutu regrets that despite several oath-taking ceremonies aimed at curbing the menace, little has been achieved. He says there have been three oath taking ceremonies among the community in 15 years.

“I am a Christian and I know that oath-taking is against my principles. But I partook in it with the belief that all the five clans would live harmoniously,” he explains.

The events have been grand and involved among others the Government and international Non-Governmental Organisations.  Despite the presence of several police units and visits by top Government officials, the vice continues.

Rose Boko, Mbusiro’s mother-in-law, is skeptical about the animosity between her Bwirege clan and neighbouring Nyabasi coming to an end.

“Kuna wezi na hata tukichunga ng’ombe zetu, watazichukua kwa nguvu (There are cattle-rustlers everywhere, and even if we offer protection to our animals they will be forcefully taken,” the 70-year-old granny says resignedly.