KISUMU WEST, December 2025-Kisumu West legislator Rosa Buyu hosted thousands of widows at Ojola in Kisumu County on Saturday during a colourful end-of-year gathering aimed at restoring dignity, hope, and social support to one of the most vulnerable groups in society.
The event, dubbed Widows’ Day, attracted an unexpectedly large turnout, with the number of attendees surpassing initial projections and highlighting the depth of need among widows in the constituency.
Addressing the gathering, the lawmaker said the initiative was inspired by the festive season, a period she noted often leaves widows forgotten despite the economic hardship and social isolation many of them face.
She described the occasion as both a celebration and a platform for listening, encouragement and direct support.
“This is a day to bring widows together, especially at a time when many people are celebrating and forgetting about those who are most vulnerable in our society,” Buyu said.
Each widow received food supplies, including three kilograms of rice and three kilograms of beans.
Buyu said she had decided to personally top up the support despite the strain caused by the unexpectedly high numbers.
“There are over 5,000 and I don’t know how much it’s going to cost, but this is what leadership is all about. I’m going to do it,” she said, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.
Beyond immediate relief, the MP outlined a long-term empowerment strategy focused on organisation and unity among widows.
She announced plans to establish structured widows’ forums at the sub-location level to enhance coordination and access to support programmes, training, and advocacy.
“We want to organise widows into forums within each sub-location so that we can meet them in smaller, manageable groups and help them more effectively,” Buyu said.
Kisumu West constituency has 23 sub-locations, each expected to establish a widows’ forum.
While some informal groups already exist, Buyu noted that many lack proper coordination, limiting their ability to attract meaningful assistance.
Religious leaders who attended the event offered spiritual encouragement and counselling, urging the women not to view widowhood as a condition of hopelessness but as a stage that still allows for productivity and community contribution.
One of the speakers, a local reverend, encouraged the widows to support one another and remain active in social and economic activities.
Among the beneficiaries was Jane Sioles from Maseno, who expressed gratitude for both the material support and the recognition the gathering provided.
“We are thankful for what we have received, and we know that we can get more. May God bless those who have helped us and open more hands to support widows,” she said.
Several widows also shared personal stories of resilience, recounting how they survive through small-scale farming while raising children and grandchildren without formal employment.
For many, the event offered more than food aid, providing a rare sense of visibility, solidarity and belonging.
Buyu reaffirmed her commitment to ensuring widows are included in development conversations in Kisumu West, saying empowerment, organisation and compassion must go hand in hand to achieve lasting change.
