Script
Host: Tell us your full names and where you come from..
Obunga resident: Thank you. My name is Joseph Ochieng’ and I’m a resident of Obunga. I was born and raised in Obunga informal settlements. I’ve stayed in Obunga for over 30 years now.
Host: What work do you do here in Kisumu?
Obunga Resident: I am a social work with a mandate of defending human rights. We sensitize the residents on issues which may lead to better living standards. That is what I do.
Host: Kindly clarify on the issue of access roads through Tom Mboya Estate.
Obunga Resident: There is no access road between Obunga and Tom Mboya Estate. It is not these two places only. Tom Mboya estate is the reason why we cannot access our basic services and essential places in the city. For example, we are not able to access Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) and for us to access the hospital we have to pass through Tom Mboya. There is also Kibuye market, the largest market in East and Central Africa, we cannot access it. We are not happy for the fact that Tom Mboya residents because they decided to close all our access roads through which we access essential public services. Therefore, we are unable to access schools, hospitals and markets.
Host: Do the Tom Mboya resident give reasons why they closed the access roads?
Obunga resident: There is a time we followed up on this issue with the area chief where he said that Tom Mboya residents accused the people of Obunga of “posing insecurity to them.” There is no single case which has been reported that a person from Obunga has done anything to compromise the security of Tom Mboya estate.
Host: What kind of security threats are they talking about?
Obunga Resident: They are accusing us of theft.
Host: What plea are you making to the County Government concerning this issue?
Obunga resident: We are asking the county government to reopen all the access roads to enable us access schools, hospitals and markets. There were spacious roads which gave us access but now they have not just closed them, but they have also built on the access roads. They’ve closed at least 6 access roads.
Host: Do the Tom Mboya residents come to Obunga?
Obunga resident: They have private gates they use to access Obunga but the opposite is not true. Once they pass through their gates, they close behind them. We are not allowed to pass through them.
Host: Are there Obunga people who work in Tom Mboya estate for instance cleaners and technicians?
Obunga resident: There are few Obunga residents who are allowed into the estate.
Host: Thank you.
