Bungoma County
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| Bungoma County | |
|---|---|
| County | |
| Location in Kenya Location in Kenya |
|
| Country |  Kenya |
| Formed | March 4th 2013 |
| Capital | Bungoma |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Ken Lusaka |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2,206.9 km2 (852.1 sq mi) |
| Population (2009) | |
| • Total | 1,375,063 [1] |
| Time zone | EAT (UTC+3) |
| Website | bungoma.go.ke |
Bungoma County is a county in the former Western Province of Kenya. Its capital is Bungoma or Bungoma Town. It has a population of 1,375,063 [2] and an area of 2,069 km².[3] In 2010, the neighbouring Mount Elgon District was eliminated and its lands merged with Bungoma District to form Bungoma County.
The economy of Bungoma County is mainly agricultural, centering on the sugarcane and maize industries. The area experiences high rainfall throughout the year, and is home to several large rivers, which are used for small-scale irrigation.
Contents
People
The Bukusu who occupy much of the county are resilient and flamboyant people who stood up against British rule in the late 19th century. In a war that erupted at Lumboka and eventually ended at Chetambe near Webuye, the Bukusu bitterly resisted British rule. They are farmers who practice both livestock and crop farmers. And an early British traveler described them as such when he visited in 1876 "on the East of the Mountain, there are the Bukusu who are greater livestock breeders and keepers".
The Bukusu have produced many prominent people that have served in the Kenyan public life among them H.E. Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi (Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, UNCTAD), the late Hon Masinde Muliro( Founder Member of original KADU independence party, Founder member of FORD party) late Hon Wamalwa Kijana (former vice president), the late Cardinal Maurice Michael Otunga (head of the Catholic Church in Kenya), the late Elijah Masinde (founder of Dini ya Musambwa), Sudi Namachanja (chief during colonial days), Hon.Lawrence Sifuna( Second-Liberation hero in the struggle for multiparty democracy in Kenya),Luka Namulala (community fore teller), among others. Among the women that have stood out include Dinah Khayota (former women leader), Justice Ruth Nekoye, lawyer Nancy Barasa and Beatrice Kituyi ( a prominent lawyer and former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour) among others.A number of notable young leaders has emerged from Bungoma County such as former student leaders like Wafula Buke and .
Political
Politically, over the last 17 years or so the community have been members of Ford-Kenya, the party formerly headed by Wamalwa Kijana. Through this party the community has been able to express and participate in national politics. More recently community members now have MPs drawn from ODM, PNU,Ford-Kenya and New-Ford-Kenya.Currently,notable political figures include Governor Kenneth Lusaka,Senator Moses Wetangula among others.
Population
This large population of approximately 1.4 million, coupled with rural unemployment has started to put pressure on land and other natural resources.
NGOs
There are a number of non-governmental organizations currently working in Bungoma. One Acre Fund, in an effort to improve farming incomes, is introducing more profitable crops and farming techniques to farmers and providing farming inputs in exchange for a share of future revenues.
Education
Several universities have also opened campuses in the area. These include Moi University (working with SACRED training Institute, www.sti.or.ke), Masinde Muliro University and Kenyatta University among others.
Services and urbanisation
| County |
Stats for the County (Percent)
|
|---|---|
| Urbanisation |
21.7
|
| Literacy |
60.5
|
| Attending School (15-18 Yrs) |
87.6
|
| Paved Roads |
6
|
| Good Roads |
46.7
|
| Electricity Access |
4.5
|
| Poverty Rate |
52.9
|
|
Stats for the County |
|
Source: USAid Kenya
Administration
| Local authorities (councils) | |||
| Authority | Type | Population* | Urban pop.* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bungoma | Municipality | 60,650 | 44,196 |
| Kimilili | Municipality | 71,299 | 10,261 |
| Webuye | Municipality | 48,806 | 19,606 |
| Malakisi | Town | 38,004 | 3,762 |
| Sirisia | Town | 22,703 | 822 |
| Bungoma County | County | 635,029 | 10,852 |
| Total | - | 876,491 | 89,499 |
| * 1999 census. Source: [1] | |||
| Administrative divisions | |||
| Division | Population* | Urban pop.* | Headquarters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bumula | 129,011 | 0 | |
| Central | 60,605 | 0 | |
| Chwele | 41,174 | 2,677 | Chwele |
| Kanduyi | 163,568 | 38,407 | Bungoma |
| Kimilili | 96,674 | 9,631 | Kimilili |
| Malakisi | 36,042 | 3,341 | Malakisi |
| Ndivisi | 57,336 | 1,905 | |
| Sirisia | 44,088 | 769 | Sirisia |
| Tongaren | 133,296 | 5,313 | |
| Webuye | 114,697 | 18,257 | Webuye |
| Total | 876,491 | 79,490 | - |
| * 1999 census. Sources:[4][5] | |||
The county has five constituencies:
- Kimilili Constituency
- Webuye Constituency
- Sirisia Constituency
- Kanduyi Constituency
- Bumula Constituency
- Mt. Elgon Constituency
See also
References
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