Ka Dani, Ahero fish joint that attracts visitors from all over the country, gives taste of Luoland

Eighty-seven-year-old Risper Alwanda has never been to a culinary school. Neither has she been a chef in any recognised restaurant.

In fact, having a hotel in Ahero town was an afterthought. She cooked and sold food in a kiosk for business people and motorists.

Since Ahero town is on the Nairobi-Kisumu highway, she soon had a high number of clients after word went round that she only prepared traditional Luo dishes.

The granny took advantage of the town being a retail market serving as the main trading centre for traders from Kisii, Homa Bay and Nandi.

Her food kiosk is referred to as ‘Ka Dani’. Dani is dholuo for grandmother.

Dani Hotel in Ahero.

“I started the hotel business in September of 1990,” Alwanda narrates.

Alwanda started with Sh200 and would buy the traditional mito and dek vegetables as well as omena. “When I started off, it went well. By 1 pm the food would be finished and this would motivate me to buy more, including omena. I even had clients travelling to and from Nairobi stopping by to eat.”

Alwanda, who is from Kajulu, Kisumu, got married in Ahero, Kakola. For years, she would buy food worth between Sh500 and Sh1,000 to cook for customers. She later upgraded to buying meat and ngege as well as kamongo.

For ngege and kamongo, she prepared deep-fried or stew depending on the order. She would have clients coming to the hotel as early as 11 am and as late as 3 pm when the food will be finished.

In 1999, she added aliya to the menu, a traditional meat dish which is smoked and left in the sun for days to add taste.

“I started with 10kg meat but realised it was not enough. I would dry the meat for an entire week before preparing it for a stew. With time I realised I had so many clients coming for this particular dish,” she explains.

Years later, she introduced chicken to the menu.

Alwanda says it is through her business that she paid school fees for her children. She had 12 children but lost 11 who left her with grandchildren that she needed to help take care of.

Alwanda also has customers from different communities, not just the Luo.

She has since left the business management in the hands of her daughter-in-law Grace Anyango who took over in 2015.

She says the business, like any other, has challenges such as the rising cost of food.