Kakamega's sin street where lungula, boozing start at 7 sharp

In the heart of Kakamega town is a street like no other. By day, it seems almost deserted, but when the sun sets, the day starts for Canon Awori Street.

The street is located in the Central Business District (CBD) of Kakamega town and at 7pm, the street is impassable due to large number of people scrambling for various services.

At the street, the first to awaken are small eateries, their aromas of freshly brewed coffee, chapati, mandazi, fried chicken and roast meat beckoning customers. There are also shops that sell miraa and muguka, bars and clubs and money transfer services. It is parked to the brim with vehicles and sex workers line up the streets.

Tables spill out onto the sidewalk and the street is filled with laughter and conversations.

As dawn approaches, the street gradually settles back into its daytime slumber. The music fades, the lights dim, and the storefronts retreat behind their shutters. Yet, the magic of the night linger in the memories of those who wander its pathways, leaving behind a promise of another evening filled with endless possibilities.

And so, the street remains a secret oasis, dormant by day alive at night.

According to Maxwell Adiko, a businessman selling fried chicken on the street, business thrives from 7pm to 6am.

“I report to work in the evening. My main clients are revelers and sex workers. I sell nearly 20 chickens a night. This street is like the heart of Kakamega County,” said Adiko.

The 28-year-old says the street is busy because other streets in the town go to sleep by at 8pm.

“This street has at least 12 popular clubs. All kinds of people traveling to Nairobi or Mombasa come to this place,” said Adiko.

“This is a one-stop shop street everything you want is available and this is the 24-hour economy we want in Kakamega.”

For those seeking a taste of adventure, hidden speakeasies and underground clubs beckon from unassuming entrances. Inside, dimly lit interiors and intimate settings offer a haven for those seeking to unwind or indulge in clandestine conversations.

Mark Kivisi, a worker in one of the clubs, says the street has attracted sex workers who used to operate from Jua Kali estate, located at the backstreet of the town.

“This street never used to have sex workers because it is our CBD where almost everyone passes through. But since it started operating throughout the night, we have many sex workers who have moved from Jua Kali,” said Kivisi.

“We have all sorts of drugs and alcohol being peddled on this street, all kinds of food, any type of gambling. This has created a huge traffic. What’s unique is that there is no stealing, mugging or pick-pocketing because the street is well lit.”

Kivisi, however, said due to the large number of people on the street, some people have turned their vehicles into lodgings.

“The restaurants, hotels and clubs cannot manage to serve the huge number of people and those seeking lodgings are forced to complete their urges inside their vehicles,” he said.

Two months ago, the County’s Health department banned open-air cooking and hawking in major trading centres in Kakamega town with Canon Awori Street being one of the targets.

The department said that it was doing so to bring order in the town.

“We are planning to become a city and we cannot achieve it when we have disorder in our CBD. We cannot allow open cooking in the streets,” said Dr. Anthony Lurambi, the Public Health Officer.

He added that those doing open cooking were denying formal restaurants customers, yet most of the eateries were not licensed.

“We have received complaints from restaurant owners that those cooking in the streets are blocking their customers and are selling a piece of chicken at Sh150 as opposed to Sh350 which is the standard price by restaurants and hotels and yet they don’t have a license,” said Ngaira.

“We have no order in our CBD and we need to streamline it by ensuring people follow the law. Those doing open air cooking should do so outside the CBD.”