Day 8: The charms of the River Nyamambwa

A few days into GeNeCAd’s undertaking of Kasese’s challenge, the diverse physical features call for an appreciation of the area’s God-given gifts. Some are of immense size others, like the timid hot springs are but significant enough to somewhat impact the spiritual, physical state of the people of this land. Further into our encounter of Kasese’s undulating hills, there is one natural ingredient of the region that haunts us with each step we make. It is the notorious River Nyamwamba. At the present time we are in Kyanjuki and the river’s brownish waters that are coloured as an effect of iron mining on mountain Rwenzori silently move down the hills. During the rainy season, it is nothing of a silent neighbour and becomes a vigorous thief taking whatever they can. On the hills it is about 40m wide and contains a multitude of humongous rocks that tumble down at some point in the heavy rains. River Nyamwamba’s immense size catalysed by Kasese’s nearly wall like hills gives it the ability and power over its obstacles. As a result, a number of houses and plantations are destroyed when the river gets hyper. While some of us would argue that River Nyamwamba’s ways are as a result of natural occurrences, the locals have another side of the story. According to the locals, in the beginning of the mining process in Kilembe, a German firm was contracted to construct bridges over the river. On consulting with the locals, they discovered that the river was controlled by two main deities, Kitasamba, god of the mountain Rwenzori, and Endyoka, god of the rivers that fiercely took to anything interfering with them. The Germans as such took some charms from the witch-doctors and placed some charms within the structure of the bridge such that everytime Endyoka came down in a rage, it was calmed and the bridges saved. Later, however, an Israeli firm was contracted to reconstruct the bridges and they ignored the spiritual details of the river. Accordingly, the next time the river came fighting down the hills, nothing held them back and the bridges were broken, the houses washed away and the people killed. Despite the river’s wrath, the people have counteracted the rivers forces by building makeshift bridges such as the one in Kyanjuki. The power of the Kanyabukubo a stone throw away from the mighty River Nyamambwa has also been harnessed by dams to produce cheap hydro-electric power for the local community. The giants shrouding themselves in the violent spirits of Kitasamba and Endyoka were as such harnessed for the greater good.