via Silas Ojiambo
Men have gone to the moon, many have explored the planets, some have gone to all corners of the world, but none has ever stepped his feet on Kenya’s Ugingo Island.
The lonely and humanless Island lies few meters away from Migingo Islands. Situated at the Kenya-Uganda border, this island, perceived to be bigger than Migingo, is believed to have been humaneless since time immemorial. Everyone, including the fearless fishermen and sailors, always keep distance, lest they land in the claws of this precariousness island, never to be seen again.
Although Ugingo supports growth of vegetation, every year, in the month of August, the island offers anything green in it as consumed burnt sacrifices to its gods. Infomed sources close to the island have revealed that during the early days of the month, Ugingo always burst into day and night flames that lasts for a week. Thereafter, the whole island remains as barren as a desert with only saw dusts of burnt plants remaining. After three weeks, vegetation begins to grow again.
In the month of August, while visiting Nyandiwa Beach, I decided to interrogate Mzee Ochieng’ Wakiare, an inhabitant of Nyandiwa- the nearest mainland to Ugingo Island. After light discussion about the amazing Ugingo Island, I asked him;
“Elder, how do you know that Ugingo Island explodes into flames every August yet no one has ever gone to the Island? Or someone might have gone there in the past?”
The old man smiled at me before responding;
“Nyaka ne Nyasaye Marahuma chue pinyni, onge ng’ama osenyono chula mar Ugingo gi tiende. Wan Juogi ema elonwa weche madhi mbele e chulano.”(Since the creation of this Earth by the Great God, nobody has ever stepped his feet on Ugingo Island. The details of the happenings in that island are revealed to us by the divine spirits.)
“So amazing. So nobody has been staying in the island since time immemorial?” I asked again.
He didn’t hesitate to reply; “Ji ariyo kende ema odak e chulano; Nyar Nam Lolwe gi Yamb Nyakoi.” (Only two reside in that Island; Lake Victoria’s Daughter and, Nyakoi, the stongest wind.)
Mzee Ochieng’ went ahead to narrate how during the 1970s, some six white men tried to sail to and explore Ugingo Island. However, they never came back. It is believed they disappeared few meters before arriving at the Island. He added that until today, people neither know the whereabouts of the six nor their boat.
Who will be the first person to explore Ugingo Island? Is it you? Let us wait.
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