No easy life: Lamu islanders grapple with cost of living

For anyone coming into Lamu Island and the adjacent islands, the allure of its rich culture, the calm atmosphere, hospitable people and the signature donkey transport give you the impression of an easy life.

What many people do not know, however, is that being an islander in Lamu is costly.

ISLANDS

Lamu has more than 35 islands. Apart from the famous Lamu Old Town, some of the other islands that make up the Lamu Archipelago include Manda, Siyu, Pate, Faza, Kizingitini, Ndau, Mkokoni, Kiwayu and Kiunga.

Lamu is 6,273 square kilometres, and is Kenya’s least populated county with only 101,539 people, according to the 2009 population census.

Consequently, the county receives the lowest financial allocation from the national government with the current allocation being at Sh2.4 billion.

Despite the county having a low population, the amount of money spent daily by locals is alarming.

To survive in the Lamu islands, residents' testimonies suggest, you need deep pockets and a heart that can survive the myriad challenges.

TRANSPORT

The Lamu islands are kilometres apart and the only means of accessing them is by boat, which is often expensive.

Mr Ahmed Yunus, a Mkokoni resident who works in Lamu Town, says he spends more than Sh2,000 daily on transport alone on a general passenger boat.

He, however, says the cost goes up drastically whenever he has to hire a private boat.

“During emergencies like medical, or funerals where you are bound by the circumstance to hire a private boat, one can spend up to Sh10,000 on a one-way [trip],” says Mr Yunus.

HOSPITALS

Most islands do not have crucial facilities such as hospitals and government offices.

The only level five hospital in the county is the King Fahad Hospital in Lamu Town; Faza and Mpeketoni sub-county hospitals are level four facilities.

Families in the far-flung islands pay an arm and a leg to rush relatives to King Fahad Hospital.

“In times of emergencies, we are forced to hire a speed boat and pay between Sh15,000 to Sh20,000 to take our patients across the vast ocean to Lamu King Fahad County Hospital. That’s a journey that can take about three to four hours,” said Mr Abdi Nasoro of Kiwayu Island.

SERVICES

The islanders also spend a lot of money on transport when they want to access government services.

Mr Kassim Omar, a former councillor and a resident of Pate Island, says that residents looking for national ID cards or birth certificates for their children have to travel to Mokowe or the Huduma Centre on Lamu Island.

The Lamu County Registrar of Persons offices are at Mokowe.

“To get a birth certificate at Sh50, you’re forced to spend between Sh1,000 and Sh1,300 on boat transport alone.

“We call on the government to establish government offices in our areas so that we can be relieved of the high transport cost burden,” Mr Omar says.

INACCESSIBILITY

Another disadvantage for the islanders is insufficient amenities.

Injustices are often not reported due to inaccessibility of the areas.

Residents in Kiunga and Ndau islands, for example, say there is a growing number of illicit sexual relations between pupils and older men.

According to retired Kenya Army Captain Abubakar Bilul, many girls in Lamu County have dropped out of school after becoming pregnant. And in most cases, their lovers abandon them, he said.

“We have very many cases of young girls getting impregnated in our islands but which go unreported since our villages are neglected. It seems unfortunate for one to be born an islander in Lamu,” says Mr Bilul.

TOURISM

Residents of Lamu Town, which seems to have most of the necessary facilities, say that it being a tourist destination has made it an expensive place to live in.

Traders, fishermen, farmers, hoteliers and other businesspeople set the price of goods and services in relation to the tourism flow and the general view that the town is a tourist destination, residents say.

Lamu is a tourist destination with exquisite beaches, sumptuous Swahili dishes and a cultural heritage that has withstood the test of time.

However, that interesting lifestyle comes at a cost that is bound to leave a hole in your pocket.

But as the natives say: “Lamu Tamu Atakao Naye,” loosely translated to mean, “Lamu is sweet, whoever wants a taste can come.”