Macalder town remains undeveloped after gold rush fizzled out

Macalder town, which was once a thriving hub in Nyanza during colonial times, has remained underdeveloped.

Residents said the town was named after Mark Holder, the first colonial gold prospector who started a gold rush in 1935 before the last colonial firm left the region in 1966.

Isaiah Okoth, an elder, said the town was a regional hub then, the first town to have an airstrip and hospital with a theatre room.

“We thought we could grow but not an inch,” he said.

The town, which is the headquarters of Nyatike constituency, has stalled. It has been overtaken by Migori, Sori and Muhuru Bay.

“We don’t have a tarmac road in Nyatike, the amenities we have were left by colonialists. No storey buildings or social amenities. The town stopped growing,” Sure, a resident, said.

William Odhil an elder said despite colonialists leaving, Macalder has been producing gold but nothing has come back to the society.

He said, those employed by the national government and local organisations, don't leave there.

“Gold is dictated by rush, this mentality has seen the flight of investments as people see Macalder as a pass-through area where you make money and leave,” Odhil said.

The two said the problem has been further compounded to control the gold trade.

The colonialists hived off large tracks of land around Macalder which was passed to the national government and later to the county.

The closest private lands around Macalder town are three to five kilometres away but those in towns are plots.

“My parents gave me two plots in town. When we plan to develop them we fear they might be demolished,” Felix Okwanyo, a resident said.

However, residents are now hopeful after Rongo University opened up the first satellite campus in Nyatike subcounty and Kisii University is planning to follow suit.

Nyatike MP Tom Odege urged Rongo university vice chancellor  Samuel Gudu to have blue economy and mining courses which will be key in reviving the town and the area which is close to Lake Victoria.

During the handing over ceremony on October 15, Odege said the Macalder campus was built using Sh18.6 million, NG-CDF funds. 

It sits on 59 acres of land that was provided by the national government and Migori county.

The campus has eight lecture halls, two ablution blocks, two water tanks, a borehole and a solar system that will boost the town.

“Our people should invest in building hostels and other social amenities in the area to tap on the business opportunities that the new campus will bring,” Odege said.

Rongo University don said the campus will open up the area.

However, residents called on the government to lease out plots around the campus and ensure title deeds are offered to spur development.

Edited by Kiilu Damaris