By S, KNA
Residents of Vihiga are calling on the county government to harness the cultural and spiritual value of the famous Givavei praying rocks by developing a tourist attraction around the locality, so as generate revenue and create jobs for the youth.
For decades, the towering rocks of Givavei Hills have stood as a symbol of hope, healing and divine intervention for the Christian faithful.
Pilgrims from across the region frequently flock to the site for prayer and reflection, drawn by its spiritual significance and the folklore surrounding the same.
One of the rocks is said to bear an etching resembling the biblical Moses, reinforcing its link to faith and miracles.
Oral accounts also speak of a time, when water miraculously gushed from the rocks after fervent prayers, a phenomenon many believers associated with divine power.
Mzee Laban Ayio Lusaga, a long-time resident, says the site remains a beehive of activity. “Motorcycles carrying visitors to the high terrains are always parked here every day of the week,” he said, noting that numerous churches including Israel Nineveh Church, African Divine Church and the Pentecostal Assemblies of God have established their headquarters around the sacred grounds.
However, some residents lament that reports of miraculous water emerging from the rocks have declined in recent years. “It seems people are really sinning and God is not happy,” some believers claim, interpreting the phenomenon as a reflection of moral decline in the community.
The story of Givavei Hills is closely tied to Bishop David Kivuli, founder of the Israel Nineveh Diocese.
According to Simeon Matias, a faithful of the diocese, Bishop Kivuli was led by the Holy Spirit to the site in 1947.
“Just like Moses of the Bible, the cleric prayed on the hills until water emerged from a rock a few meters away,” Matias recounted, adding that the water was long believed to possess healing powers capable of curing ailments and ending drought.
With its rich spiritual history, locals now want the county government to designate the site as a cultural monument and tourist attraction.
“We want to leverage tourism,” residents say, stressing that the site’s potential extends beyond spiritual pilgrimage to cultural enrichment and heritage conservation.
Meanwhile, as the sun dips over Vihiga, the sacred rocks of Givavei remain a powerful reminder of the community’s faith and resilience.
Residents now remain hopeful that with the county government’s support, the site will not only retain its spiritual essence, but also open a new chapter as a hub for tourism and cultural pride.
