By
Chrispory Juma
A call by a section of
citizens to the government to ban bull-fighting was not only misinformed but
also malicious to this activity associated with the people of Western Kenya.
Bull fighting events, common in Kakamega, usually happen many times a year and
have been there for several years, forming a crucial aspect of the luyha
culture, reinforcing clan loyalty and community pride.
This aside, bull-fights happen
everywhere, in any village. But what is unique about this is that the people of
western Kenya have been able to make this a cultural event and derive happiness
and entertainment out of this. In the end, it has acted as a source of tourist
attraction and even campaign strategy for politicians in the region.
The owners of the bulls take
pride in their bulls (the bulls themselves awarded, based on the winner). They
ensure the bulls are well taken care of, even naming them after community legends
that were/are ferocious, courageous and victorious. No one would want to harm
such kind of an animal.
After all, this is unlike the
bull fights in Mexico and Spain where the bulls fight matadors. Here, they face
one another!
Perhaps it is because we have
all lost the point over this as a nation, and some people are working behind
the scenes to ban this precious cultural heritage. It is interesting that a
group is even petitioning for this.
What we need to do is for the
Tourism Ministry, Ministry of Livestock and other stakeholders like Kenya
Society for the protection and Care of Animals (KSPCA) and the Bull Fighting
Federation to come together so that everyone can appreciate this as a major
tourist attraction in the western circuit and look at avenues of streamlining
the activity.
Of course there are risks this
activity poses. There have been cases of bulls goring or trampling on
spectators, who sometimes are drunk and the concoctions given to the bulls to
charge them and psychologically prepare them for the fight. I feel these are
the areas we need to address. A call for banning this activity is way too
ridiculous and exaggerated.
The writer, (Chrispory Juma),
is a PHO Intern with the MOPHS, Homa Bay District.
