Worry as rogue shylocks sexually assault women in Kisumu markets

When Joyce Anyango (not her real name), a cereals vendor at Otonglo market sought the help of a money lender in 2020 for the first time, all seemed rosy and she knew she would keep her business that was on the verge of collapsing.

For several weeks, she had fruitlessly searched for someone to bail her out. With her stocks almost depleting and no savings to buy a fresh stock, her goose was cooked. Then an idea of getting an unsecured loan from Maasai traders who hawk various items in the market struck her.

She had heard tales of how the shylocks had been the silver lining for several traders in the market. At the time, she had no reason to suspect anything and was optimistic her fortunes would change if she managed to get a Ksh15,000 loan from the shylocks.

After all, the shylocks frequently walked through the market to hawk the loans to vulnerable women and offer almost irresistible terms. The money is instant and there is no security required. Little did she know she was signing a pact with the devil and would become one of the statistics of women sexually assaulted by the money lenders after failing to settle their debt.

On the fateful day, within minutes, she had already obtained Sh15,000 from a shylock without any security and was to repay the loan within two months at an interest of 50 per cent. Because of her desperation, she did not take the time to understand the exorbitant rate of the loan. When we caught up with her at a roadside market next to the Kisumu Bus Park, she was still in the agony of the experience she had after defaulting on the loan.

“I was unable to repay the loan within the period we had agreed and quickly the demands shifted to sexual assault,” she said.

The mother of two claimed that the shylock would ask to meet her to discuss how she would repay the loan but ended up sexually assaulting her for failing to repay the loan.

“I did not have any means to repay him and the harassment was almost daily,” she explains.

She is not, however, alone. Investigations by People Daily Digital has established how shylocks operating in Kisumu markets prey on vulnerable women unable to settle their debts and sexually assault them.

Their target is needy women from Otonglo, Kibuye, Corona Market, Kondele and Manyatta where they lend women money and change tune to sexual assault if the women fail to pay.

With several small-microfinance groups withdrawing their support for women in terms of loans as a result of the Covid-19 period, the shylocks have taken advantage of the space to offer loans for sex.

Interviews with several women in Manyatta, Kondele and at the Kisumu main Bus Park established horrific experiences of women who have been victims of the rogue shylocks.

Eunice Apiyo, a businesswoman in the Kondele market, says she has been borrowing money from Maasai shylocks since 2015 and has witnessed several of her colleagues harassed by the shylocks. She says some of the women are sometimes physically assaulted by the shylocks.

Apiyo narrates that shylocks always walk in the market asking for people to lend money. She says they face continuous harassment from the Maasai people and if one defaults, they mobilize their colleagues to harass them. In most cases, when one defaults and refuse to give in to their sexual demands, they are physically harassed at the markets.

“When he gives you money, he is always alone but the moment you default in paying, they come hunting for you in a huge group to harass you,” she explains.

Apiyo says that sometimes they would follow one silently without them knowing just to master where they stay and after about two days when you retire from work and now you are back in the house, they forcefully enter the house.

The mother of three says her husband abandoned her when what began as itching in her leg has grown into a big wound making her use a lot of money in hospital. She disclosed to us that she has been unable to pay rent of Sh2000 monthly in her makeshift house in the Migosi area for the last 4 months and her landlord is also on her neck.

“I know I owe him but honestly I am incapacitated to pay him back his money since I do not have it and my business is not doing well,” she said.

Apiyo said that she has started to have fear within her because the Maasai she owes has begun pressuring her to pay back the money.

“I am very much afraid and I hope they will not harm me the way they did to my friend. I am praying and hoping to pay him as soon as I get the money,” she added.

According to Pamela Omingo, another trader at Corona market, she says even though they do business in the market, they do not have money forcing them to turn to Maasai to lend them money from time to time.

According to Millicent Atieno, the chairperson at Kondele market, she said that the interest rates are so high for the women to raise.

She also said that when they give you loans, only one comes but during payment, they come in a group of about ten people armed with knives.

She said that when the women try to plead with them, they do not understand them.

“As Kondele traders, we have faced harassment and sexual assaults on vulnerable women is unfortunate,” she explains.

“If you owe one like Ksh5000, they would force you to sleep with them like three times before they leave the debt for you,” she said.

She pleaded with the government to give business loans to trade with.

A Maasai Shylock who asked not to be named denied that they sexually harras traders but admitted that there are several cases of defaults.

“If you fail to repay your bank loan, you are auctioned. With use, we do not auction anything but we give them time t repay the loans,” he said.

According to Tuli Tulitu, a human rights activist, sex for money is a great issue of concern in Kisumu markets.

“It is unfortunate that authorities have allowed the vices to continue. We have received several complaints from women and we have been trying to raise our voices on the issue but little is being done,” she said.

“They are not a legit lending authority and they should be arrested,” she added.

Kisumu County Government has, however, denied knowledge of the existence of the vice claiming that they have been providing financial aid to women traders in the lakeside city.

Dixon Obungu CEC Trade said the county government has set aside Ksh100 million to help the traders, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. He said that the funds would be released as early as next week.

“It is unfortunate the shylocks are using the women as sex pray for failing to pay them their loans, the CEC said.

To protect them from bad loans, he said they will educate the women on where they can get better loans as opposed to the shylocks.