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Written by Steve Nguru

Published: 24 January 2012

Last Updated: 06 April 2014

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Welcome to the County of Kisumu

 

 

Vibrant. Proud. Cheerful

 

Contents

Introduction

1. Genesis History Population Museums Archives 2. Education Primary Schools Secondary Schools Special Schools Polytechnics Colleges Universities Libraries xxxxxxxx 3. Health Health Facilities Public Health & Sanitation Traditional Medicine 4. Work Agriculture Manufacturing Cooperative Societies Business Services Natural Resources 5. Government County Executive County Assembly National Government County Finance 6. Elections & Politics Political Parties Governor Senator Women Representative Constituencies and MPs Wards 6. Visitors Attractions Parks & Reserves Hotels & Restaurants People & Places Art & Culture 7. Towns & Cities

Geography   The County of Kisumu covers 0.36% of the total land mass in Kenya, over an area of 2,085.93 km2 hugging the Winam Gulf's northern to south-eastern shores on Lake Victoria; located between longitudes 35” 28” and 35” 36” and latitudes 0” 12” and 1” 10” South(@geolocation (-0.385212, 36.036261)). It is bordered by the County of Vihiga and County of Nandi to the north, County of Kericho to the east, County of Homa Bay to the south, Winam Gulf and Siaya County to the west.   Relief   Kisumu County's lowest plains around the lake are at an altitude of about 1,134m while its highlands to the east and north east rise to an altitude of about 2,000m. A few notable rivers flow in a westerly direction within the County into Lake Victoria, notably Rivers Nyando, Sio, Nzoia, Sondu Miriu, Kuja and Yala rising from the western Rift Valley highlands, and Mt Elgon to the North West.   Population   Kisumu County, by population, is ranked behind Kitui County, as the 12th most populous county of all the 47 Counties of Kenya. Having a total of 968,909 people living there, it is host to 2.51% of the total population in Kenya. The county has a density of 4.3 people per household (2009 Census).   Climate   The climate of the County is generally warm with minimal monthly variation in temperatures between 190C and 320C throughout the year. The rainfall is governed by a modified equatorial climate characterized by long rains (March to June) and short rains (September to November). The average annual rainfall varies from 700mm along the Lake Victoria shores to 2000mm in the higher lands.   Representation   The people of Kisumu County directly elect 6 members to parliament to represent them in Kisumu Rural Constituency, Kisumu Town East Constituency, Kisumu Town West Constituency, Muhoroni Constituency, Nyakach Constituency and Nyando Constituency. The IEBC has gazetted 7 Constituencies for the County for the 2013 elections. There are 333,119 registered voters in the county. These represent 2.33% of the national total of registered voters (IIEC, 2010).

 

 

Genesis

 

Introduction

 

The County name of Kisumu (pronounced kisumu) was borrowed from the Luo language 'sumo', meaning 'go and get food'. During times of scarcity and famine, it was a place people went to in search of food.

 

History

 

The town of Kisumu, on the cusp of Kavirondo Gulf (now renamed Winam Gulf) was born around 1900-1901 as an inland terminal, by the arrival of the Uganda railway line from the railway town of Nakuru. The initial route for the railway was from Nakuru to Tororo, Uganda via Port Victoria on the mouth of River Nzoia. A revised plan was used and the railway arrived at Kisumu instead. Kisumu was then renamed Port Florence after Florence Preston, wife of the chief foreman platelayer, Ronald O. Preston, who had accompanied her husband on his 5 year journey all the way from Mombasa, 930km away. Mrs Preston was given the honour of driving home the last key at the waters edge.

 

Florence and Robert laying the final rail at Port Florence now Kisumu on 19th December 1901

 

When the Railway arrived in Kisumu 1901, it found the Luo people. They are believed to have migrated south from Sudan via eastern Uganda as early as the 16^th century and settled at the areas around Lake Victoria. Early European visitors to the area noticed that young Luo warriors liked to sit on their heels ('kaa virondo' in Kiswahili), and named the area Kavirondo.

The Luo were generally not displaced from their land by the colonialists, and continued to practice herding, fishing and subsistence agriculture. The arrival of the Uganda Railway and growth of Kisumu brought with it large populations of settlers of Indian origin who had worked as labourers for the railway, and traders to and from Uganda in the early 1900s. Most of them were Khojas (Ismailis), Punjabis and Goans. By 1903 the name of the inland terminal had reverted to Kisumu.

 

Kisumu Railway Station

 

Kisumu County has been created by the merging of 6 Districts created from the former Kisumu District, namely: Kisumu West, Kisumu East, Kisumu Town West Districts; others were Muhoroni, Nyakach and Nyando Districts.

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Population

 

Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics 2009 National Census shows the County of Kisumu to have a population of 968,909 people. The Luo people constitute a large majority followed by smaller groups of Luhya, Asian, Kalenjin, Kikuyu and many others from around Kenya.

 

Table 1.1 Historical Populations of Kisumu County

 

Census	Population	Median Rate	Kenya Average	County Fertility
1969
1979
1989
1999
2009	968,909
2019

 

There are reasonable populations of 3^rd and 4^th generation of Asian business owners and industrialists (whose grandparents built the Ugandan Railway). At some point in the 1960s the Asian population in the town was higher than that of the local people.

Smaller groups from other communities from the rest of Kenya are mostly skilled and semi-skilled employees working in large-scale farms, private enterprises, tourism, government departments, and non-governmental organizations. These are to be found mostly in urban areas of the County.

The county's population of 968,909 makes up 2.51% of the total population of Kenya. Thus Kisumu is the 12^th most populated county just edging ahead of Homa Bay County in 13^th position. There are 226,719 households in the county, giving it a density of 4.3 people per household.

 

Table 1.1 Population Demographics for Kisumu County

 

Indicator	Size	National Ranking	Leading County
Population	968,909	12th	Nairobi: 3,138,369
Male population	474,756
Female population	494,153
National percentage	2.51%	12th	Nairobi : 8.13%
xxx
Area (km2)	2,085.93	40th	Marsabit : 70,961.19
National percentage	0.36%	40th	Marsabit : 12.21%
Density (per km2)	464.5	8th	Nairobi : 4,515.0
xxx
Households	226,719	11th	Nairobi : 985,016
Household density	4.3	40th	Mandera : 8.2
National percentage	2.59%	11th	Nairobi : 11.23%
xxx
Voters	333,119	11th	Nairobi : 1,283,700
National percentage	2.33%	11th	Nairobi : 10.25%

*Fertility: 5.8 (Kisumu District Strategic Plan 2005-2010, NCAPD).

 

Map 1: Location, Administrative Areas and Population Density Patterns for Kisumu (District) County

t

Source: NCAPD, 2005. Retrieved Jan, 2012.

 

Museums

 

 

Kisumu Museum

A Luo Homestead or 'Bergidala' at the Kisumu Museum

 

The Kisumu Museum is part of the National Museums of Kenya. It is located in Kisumu Town along the Kisumu - Busia Road, just past the Kisumu YMCA. It was opened in 1980. The museum has various interesting exhibits including ethnographic items (includes traditional clothing and adornment, basketry, fishing gear, agricultural tools and hunting weaponry) from the Luo and other peoples in the wider western regions of Kenya, as well as stuffed animal and bird species from the region. It also disseminates historical, cultural and scientific information. Live animal enclosures feature a crocodile farm, a snake park, a tortoise pen, and an aquarium of fish species that can be found in Lake Victoria. It is in Kisumu West Constituency.

 

Archives

 

 

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Education

 

In this Page:   2. Education Primary Schools Secondary Schools Special Schools Polytechnics Colleges Universities Libraries

 

Introduction

 

On average, 94.09% of all children in Kisumu County between the school-going ages of 6-17 years attend school on any given day. This is below the national average of 95.16%.

Furthermore out of a total County population of xxxxxxx who are 18 years or more, 78.6% have at least completed primary (basic) education.

 

Primary Schools

 

About 135.42% (way above the national average of 96%) of children aged between 3-5 yrs in the rural areas of the county attend pre-school. Urban areas register about 137.60% pre-school attendance.

Primary school enrolment is much better, averaging 122.05% and 115.91% in rural and urban areas respectively. (Source: OpenData)

Kisumu County was ranked 8^th in Kenya in the 2011 KCPE examinations with a mean score of 259.63 out of 500, behind Elgeyo Marakwet County who had a mean of 260.27.

 

Figure 2.1: Primary Education Assessment in Kisumu County 2011

 

Source: Uwezo.net. Retrieved Dec 2011

 

Kisumu has 706 primary schools. 12.7% of them are privately run while 87.3% are public schools. Religious organizations sponsor 55% of primary schools in the County of Kisumu.

Of the 706 schools, only 1 (Nyabondo Boys Boarding) is boys-only while 5 are girls-only schools. Nyabondo Boys, a public school, is in South Nyakach Town in Nyakach Constituency. Of the 5 girls girls-only schools in the county only St Mary's Kibuye in Kondele Township in Kisumu Town West Constituency's does not offer boarding. Only 2.8% of primary schools in Kisumu County offer boarding facilities. Murang'a County for example, has 11.5% of her primary schools having boarding facilities.

Migosi Primary School in Kondele Township in Kisumu Town East Constituency has 2,200 pupils, the highest in the county.

The county is home to well-known primary schools that attract large populations of pupils from neighboring counties. Notable schools that post good results in the KCPE examinations include Muhoroni Success Primary School (a private mixed school), which attained position 10 in Nyanza in the 2007 KCPE examinations. It is at God Nyithindo Town in Muhoroni Constituency. Maseno Girls Boarding in North West Kisumu Town in Kisumu Rural Constituency was the leading girls' school in the region in the same examinations.

 

Maseno Girls Boarding Primary

 

Pupils of the Maseno Girls Boarding Primary School

 

Maseno Girls' Boarding in North West Kisumu in Kisumu Rural Constituency was established by early CMS missionaries in 1959, with a population of 15 girls and ONE teacher who doubled up as a headteacher. By 1970, the pupils population increased to 150 most of who were daughters of the clergy. Today the population stands at about 400 girls from age 8-15 years in classes 4-8. It was at position 12 in the county in the 2007 KCPE examinations.

 

Class time at the Maseno Girls Boarding in Kisumu County

 

Jalaram Academy, Kisumu

 

Table 2.1: Notable Primary Schools in Kisumu County

 

Name of School	Status of School	Sponsor of School	School Institution Type_1	School Institution Type_2	School Institution Type_3	Total Enrolment	Location	Constituency	Geo-location
MUHORONI SUCCESS PRIMARY SCH	PRIVATE	CENTRAL GOVERNMENT/DEB	MIXED	DAY ONLY	ORDINARY	403	GOD NYITHINDO	MUHORONI	(-0.151272, 35.177122)
GOLDEN ELITES PRY SCH	PRIVATE	PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL/ORGANIZATION	MIXED	DAY ONLY	ORDINARY	371	KONDELE	KISUMU TOWN WEST	(-0.0833, 34.76878)
VICTORIA PRY SCH	PUBLIC	CENTRAL GOVERNMENT/DEB	MIXED	DAY ONLY	ORDINARY	940	KISUMU TOWN	KISUMU TOWN WEST	(-0.10851, 34.74886)
CHEMELIL SUGAR SCH	PRIVATE	PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL/ORGANIZATION	MIXED	DAY ONLY	ORDINARY		CHEMELIL	MUHORONI	(-0.07391, 35.13204)
MUHORONI FURAHA ACADEMY	PRIVATE	PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL/ORGANISATION	MIXED	DAY ONLY	ORDINARY		GOD NYITHINDO	MUHORONI	(-0.147103, 35.178067)
NYABONDO BOYS BOARDING	PUBLIC	CENTRAL GOVERNMENT/DEB	BOYS ONLY	BOARDING ONLY	ORDINARY	270	SOUTH NYAKACH	NYAKACH	(-0.37979, 34.979)
AGA KHAN PRY SCH	PRIVATE	PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL/ORGANIZATION	MIXED	DAY ONLY	ORDINARY	581	KISUMU TOWN	KISUMU TOWN WEST	(-0.09525, 34.75512)
ARINA PRY SCH	PUBLIC	CENTRAL GOVERNMENT/DEB	MIXED	DAY ONLY	ORDINARY	1510	KISUMU TOWN	KISUMU TOWN WEST	(-0.08887, 34.77386)
MBORA PRI	PUBLIC	CENTRAL GOVERNMENT/DEB	MIXED	DAY ONLY	ORDINARY	260	THURDIBUORO	NYAKACH	(-0.351965, 34.866883)
ARYA PRY SCH	PUBLIC	CENTRAL GOVERNMENT/DEB	MIXED	DAY ONLY	ORDINARY		KISUMU TOWN	KISUMU TOWN WEST	(-0.09406, 34.76073)
EBENE-ZER CHRISTIAN PRIMARY	PUBLIC	CENTRAL GOVERNMENT/DEB	MIXED	DAY ONLY	ORDINARY	324	KAKOLA	NYANDO	(-0.16702, 34.9331)
MASENO GIRLS BOARDING PRI	PUBLIC	RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION	GIRLS ONLY	BOARDING ONLY	ORDINARY	393	NORTH WEST KISUMU	KISUMU RURAL	(-0.006459, 34.593851)
BHAYANI PRY SCH	PRIVATE	PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL/ORGANIZATION	MIXED	DAY ONLY	ORDINARY	515	KISUMU TOWN	KISUMU TOWN WEST	(-0.0895, 34.76129)
KONDELE PRY SCH	PUBLIC	RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION	MIXED	DAY ONLY	ORDINARY	1375	KONDELE	KISUMU TOWN EAST	(-0.07406, 34.78127)
JOSANA ACADEMY PRY SCH	PRIVATE	PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL/ORGANIZATION	MIXED	DAY ONLY	ORDINARY	462	KONDELE	KISUMU TOWN WEST	(-0.08176, 34.76646)
LEGETET HILL SCHOOL	PRIVATE	PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL/ORGANISATION	MIXED	DAY ONLY	ORDINARY	309	KORU	MUHORONI	(-0.16266, 35.26145)
KIBOS ROAD ACA PRY SCH	PRIVATE	PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL/ORGANIZATION	MIXED	DAY ONLY	ORDINARY	197	KONDELE	KISUMU TOWN EAST	(-0.07833, 34.77704)

 

Source: Opendata.go.ke

 

Table 2.2 2011 KCPE Results for Kisumu County

 

Kisumu Indicators	Size, (%age)	National Ranking	Leading County
Candidates	19,390 (2.55%)	15th	Nairobi: 44,098 (5.68%)
Mean Score	259.63/500	8th	Kirinyaga: 274.67/500

Source: Daily Nation Dec 29, 2011.

Kisumu's no. 8 ranking placed it just behind Elgeyo Marakwet County at no 7. Elgeyo Marakwet's mean was 260.27 over 10,732 candidates.

 

Secondary Schools

 

Kisumu County has a combined total of 173 public and private secondary schools. 25 of them (14.5%) are privately run while the rest are public schools. Religious organizations sponsor 58.4% of all the primary schools in the County of Kisumu.

Of the 173 schools in the county, only 9 are boys-only while 16 are girls-only schools. Kisumu Boys Secondary School, a day school, has the largest student population in the County with 1,097 students. It is in Southern Township in Kisumu Town West Constituency. Only 22% of secondary schools in Kisumu County offer boarding facilities.

The county is home to well-known schools that attract large populations of pupils from neighboring counties and beyond. Among the international schools in the county is the well-known Braeburn Kisumu High in Southern in Kisumu Town East.

Notable schools that post good results in the KCSE examinations include Maseno School, Chemelil Sugar Academy in Chemelil in Muhoroni Constituency and Thurdibuoro Secondary in West Koguta in Nyakach Constituency.

Kisumu County is host to 1 national school the boys-only boarding Maseno School in North West Karateng in Kisumu Rural Constituency. Planned for upgrading to national school status are: Nyabondo Boys in East Kadianga in Nyakach Constituency, Kisumu Girls in Southern in Kisumu Town West Constituency and Onjiko Boys in Tura in Nyando Constituency.

Just like in most counties in Kenya, most of Kisumu's well-known secondary schools were started by Christian Missionaries.

 

Maseno School

 

Maseno School was established in 1906 by the Church Missionary Society when in 1905 James Jamieson Willis was sent by Alfred Herbert Tucker, the Bishop of Eastern Equatorial Africa to make further prospecting missions in the Lake Region. Following his extensive tour of the Luo area, Archdeacon Willis (Bwana Ogore) pitched his tent under an 'Oseno' (Coclia Ovalis) tree, close to the home of his host, Ogola wuon Oyieke. The station was named Maseno, after the Coclia Ovalis (Oseno). The following year (1906), he (Willis) founded a Normal School at Maseno, with six of the chief's sons who had been to Kaimosi as the nucleus. A church, St. Paul's Chapel - The Rock of Ages, was also built next to the Oseno.[2.1]

Maseno School is the oldest school in Kenya. Besides JJ Willis, the other notable headmaster of the school before independence was the missionary/teacher lecturer at Cambridge University Edward-Carey Francis between the years 1928-1940. Such was the influence he had on the school that the next 3 colonial headmasters at Maseno were all graduates of Cambridge.

The CMS mission established at Maseno by JJ Willis continued to support and develop the school. A veterinary school, teacher training college and a nursing school were set up at Maseno. The veterinary school was established in 1935, while the nursing school was established in 1935 to train nursing assistants and midwives. The teachers' training college named Siriba Teachers Training College was established in 1940 and in 50 years later merged with the Government Training Institute at Maseno to become Maseno University. (Source: Wikipedia).

Maseno School in North West Karateng, 25km from Kisumu Town, in Kisumu Rural Constituency has about 954 boys. In the 2008 KCSE exams, it produced 6 students in the top 30 (1 out of every 5); among them the 7th and 10th best pupils. That year, the top 6 students in the former Nyanza Province came from Maseno; a further 27 were in the top 100. The school produced the 24th best student nationally in the KCSE 2010 exams.

 

Kobura Girls' Secondary School

 

Tree planting by girls of Kobura Girls Secondary School

 

Kobura Girls is a public girls day school that was started in the year 2000 by the Holy Trinity Church in Africa HTCA, and is supported through the CDF as well. It has about 116 students, 62 of whom are orphans. Its first national exams candidates sat for the KCPE in 2010. It is in Lela Township in Nyando Constituency.

 

Table 2.5 Notable Secondary Schools in Kisumu County

 

Name of School	Public or Private	School Sponsor	Gender	Day or Boarding	Total Enrolment 2007	Sublocation	Costituency	Location 1
NYABONDO BOYS HIGH	PUBLIC	RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION	BOYS ONLY	BOARDING ONLY	616	EAST KADIANGA	NYAKACH	(-0.38009, 34.984)
MASENO HIGH SCH	PUBLIC	CENTRAL GOVERNMENT/DEB	BOYS ONLY	BOARDING ONLY	954	NORTH WEST KARATENG	KISUMU RURAL	(0.001919, 34.604897)
KOBURA GIRLS SEC SCH	PUBLIC	RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION	GIRLS ONLY	DAY ONLY	18	LELA	NYANDO	(-0.16621, 34.90511)
NYAKACH GIRLS HIGH SCH	PUBLIC	RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION	GIRLS ONLY	BOARDING ONLY	803	KAJIMBO	NYAKACH	(-0.38294, 34.9334)
CHEMELIL SUGAR ACADEMY	PRIVATE	PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL/ORGANIZATION	MIXED	BOARDING ONLY	306	CHEMELIL	MUHORONI	(-0.06476, 35.14566)
THUR GEM SECONDARY	PUBLIC	CENTRAL GOVERNMENT/DEB	MIXED	DAY ONLY	405	AGORO WEST	NYAKACH	(-0.27472, 35.00886)
ONJIKO SECONDARY	PUBLIC	CENTRAL GOVERNMENT/DEB	MIXED	BOARDING ONLY	543	TURA	NYANDO	(-0.16757, 34.93658)
OTIENO OYOO SEC SCH	PUBLIC	RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION	MIXED	DAY AND BOARDING	713	KOCHIENG	NYANDO	(-0.15284, 34.83108)
JALARAM ACA SEC SCH	PRIVATE	PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL/ORGANIZATION	MIXED	DAY ONLY		SOUTHERN	KISUMU TOWN WEST	(-0.11053, 34.76225)
AHERO GIRLS SECONDARY	PUBLIC	RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION	GIRLS ONLY	BOARDING ONLY	621	KAKOLA-AHERO	NYANDO	(-0.16887, 34.91739)
MASENO EDUCATIONAL CENTER		PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL/ORGANIZATION	GIRLS ONLY	DAY AND BOARDING		LELA	KISUMU RURAL

References/Sources: OpenData

 

Special Schools

 

The county is home to quit a good number of special primary schools for learners with various disabilities and challenges. Kisumu County has 17 special primary schools (12 of them are sponsored by religious organizations), and another 20 integrated primary schools (17 of which are sponsored by religious organizations).

 

Maseno School for the Deaf

 

Perhaps the most well-known of all the special schools in the county is arguably Maseno School for the Deaf located on the Kisumu - Busia Road 24km from Kisumu Town in North West Kisumu in Kisumu Rural Constituency. It offers boarding-only facilities to about 200 pupils. The school was founded by the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) in 1975, now under the Diocese of Maseno South.

In 1995 Maseno School started a special unit for the blind and deaf, some of whom have mental disabilities. Most of the children come from very poor backgrounds. This residential school gets support from the State (staff), the Christoffel Blindenmission (CBM) and the United Nations World Food Program (GAA), Scann Kenya and other well-wishers in the form of funds for electricity, food, fuel, medical supplies, etc.

 

Table 2.4: Selected Special Primary Schools in Kisumu County

 

Name of School	Status of School	Sponsor of School	School Institution Type_1	School Institution Type_2	School Institution Type_3	Total Enrolment	Location	Costituency	Geolocation
LUTHERAN CHURCH SPECIAL SCH FOR MH	PUBLIC	RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION	MIXED	DAY & BOARDING	SPECIAL SCHOOL	102	KISUMU TOWN	KISUMU TOWN WEST	(-0.10337, 34.76783)
KIBOS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND	PUBLIC	RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION	MIXED	BOARDING ONLY	SPECIAL SCHOOL	107	MIWANI	MUHORONI	(-0.06067, 34.81578)
MASENO SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF	PUBLIC	RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION	MIXED	BOARDING ONLY	SPECIAL SCHOOL	143	NORTH WEST KISUMU	KISUMU RURAL	(-0.001657, 34.599158)
NGENY INTEGRATED PRI	PUBLIC	RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION	MIXED	DAY AND BOARDING	INTEGRATED	272	NYANG'OMA	MUHORONI	(-0.11568, 35.11236)
CHEMELIL FACTORY PRI	PUBLIC	CENTRAL GOVERNMENT/DEB	MIXED	DAY ONLY	INTEGRATED	954	CHEMELIL	MUHORONI	(-0.08233, 35.136)
NYANGANDE PRI SCH	PUBLIC	RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION	MIXED	DAY ONLY	INTEGRATED	491	SOUTH KAWINO	NYANDO	(-0.203891, 34.851471)

 

 

Table 2.6 Selected Special Secondary Schools in Kisumu County

 

Name of School	Public or Private	Sponsor	Gender	Day or Boarding	Ordinary or Special	Total Enrolment 2007	Sub location	Constituency	Location 1
MAYIEKA HIGH SCH	PUBLIC	COMMUNITY	MIXED	DAY ONLY	INTEGRATED	163	E. MAYIEKA	KISUMU RURAL	(-0.154, 34.46542)
MBUGRA SEC SCH	PUBLIC	RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION	MIXED	DAY ONLY	INTEGRATED	286	WEST KOGUTA	NYAKACH	(-0.331767, 34.861868)
ST GABRIEL'S SEMINARY SEC	PRIVATE	RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION	BOYS ONLY	BOARDING ONLY	SPECIAL SCHOOL	145	NORTH KAPUONJA	KISUMU RURAL	(-0.041771603, 34.65178802)
JOYLAND SPECIAL SEC SCH	PUBLIC	RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION	MIXED	DAY ONLY	SPECIAL SCHOOL	110	MANYATA B	KISUMU TOWN WEST	(-0.09785, 34.77383)

 

Polytechnics

 

Kisumu Polytechnic

 

Kisumu County is home to the national Kisumu Polytechnic. It is under the Directorate of Technical Education in the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology.

 

The welding and fabrication workshop at Kisumu Polytechnic

 

The polytechnic offers diploma cources in electrical, civil, and mechanical engineering as well as business, ICT and entrepreneurship, among others.

 

Table 2.7 Notable Polytechnics in Kisumu County

 

COLLEGE	TRAINING OFFERED	ADDRESS	CONTACTS	SPONSOR	CONSTITUENCY
Nyang'oma Youth Polytechnic					Muhoroni
Kisumu Polytechnic				Ministry of Higher Education Science & Technology	Kisumu Town East
Ahero Youth Polytechnic		Ahero - Kericho Road	P.O. Box 3, 40101 Ahero, Tel 057-821013		Muhoroni

 

Colleges

 

Kisumu County is home to several TIVET colleges, most of which are in Kisumu Town East and Kisumu Town West Constituencies.

 

E.L.C.K. A.T.P. Youth Training Centre

 

This training centre is sponsored by the Evangelical Lutheran Church and is registered by the Ministry of Science & Technology as a TIVET institute. It is in Kisumu Town East Constituency.

 

Tom Mboya College

 

This well-known college in Kisumu Town East Constituency is named after one of the most famous sons from the region, Tom Joseph Mboya.

 

International School of Medicine and Applied Technology

 

International School of Medicine and Applied Technology (ISMAT) was founded privately in the year 2006 and is supported by Ogra Foundation a locally owned and run NGO in Western Kenya.

 

A teaching lab at the International School of Medicine and Applied Technology in Kisumu County

 

ISMAT is registered by the Ministry of Science and Technology as a TIVET institute. It is at Milimani in Kisumu Town West Constituency.

 

Kenya Medical Training College Kisumu

 

Ramogi Institute of Advanced Technology

 

Mechanical Engineering students at Ramogi Institute of Advanced Technology

 

Table 2.3: Notable Colleges in Kisumu County

 

COLLEGE	TRAINING OFFERED	ADDRESS	CONTACTS	SPONSOR	CONSTITUENCY
Tom Mboya Labour College				Ministry of Education	Kisumu Town East
Ramogi Institute of Advanced Technology					Kisumu Town East
Kenya Medical Training Center (KMTC), Kisumu				Ministry of Health
Victoria Institute of Advanced Technology				Private	Kisumu Town East
International School of Medicine and Applied Technology				Private

 

Uzima University College

 

Uzima is a constituent college of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa –CUEA with specialization in teaching and research of Medical and Biomedical sciences. The institution has been accredited to offer bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of surgery(MBChB), Bachelor of science in Microbiology, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN), this together with a number of diploma programmes in Medical and Biomedical sciences are scheduled for inauguration in May 2012.

 

Inside one of the teaching labs at the Uzima University College

 

The College has 10 world class laboratories for: Gross Anatomy, Histology, Histopathology, Skills lab, Hematology, Immunology, Microbiology, Parasitology, Physiology, and Biochemistry.

 

Universities

 

Maseno University

 

The County of Kisumu is host to Maseno University, a public university at Maseno in Kisumu Rural Constituency. It obtained its charter and became a fully fledged university in 2001. However, Maseno University’s history begun with the merging of Maseno Government Training Institute (GTI) with Siriba Teacher’s Training College (which was itself established in 1940 by the CMS missionaries at Maseno) in 1990 to form Maseno University College as a Constituent College of Moi University. It became a fully-fledged University 11 years later, in 2001.

Siriba Campus of Maseno University

Maseno University has since grown to three campus locations and opened a constituent college: the Bondo University College in the neighbouring Siaya County. Two of the three campuses are at Maseno Town, while the third is in the centre of Kisumu Town at the Kisumu Hotel and at Varsity Plaza. Maseno University offers degrees and diplomas in social, biological and physical sciences. The youngest faculty at the university is the School of Medicine which is also the first in the western region of Kenya, and offers degree courses in medicine, pharmacy, and nursing.

 

Great Lakes University of Kisumu

 

Kisumu County is host to the Great Lakes University of Kisumu, an inter-denominational Evangelical Christian Institution. It is an off-shoot of the Tropical Institute of Community Health and Development (TICH) in Africa - a non-profit community based training, research and development trust which has been operating since 1998.

 

Great Lakes University of Kisumu

 

Great Lakes obtained its university status in 2006. The university has three faculties currently: Faculty of Health Sciences, of Arts and Science, and the Tropical Institute of Community Health and Development (TICH).

TICH offers the following programs: Doctor of Philosophy in Community Health and Development
• Masters in Community Health and Development
• Higher Diploma in Community and Development
• Bachelor of Science in Community Health and Development (Upgrading/Direct entry options)
• Bachelors of Science in Community Nutrition (Upgrading/Direct entry options)
• Diploma in Community Health and Development (Direct Entry/Post Basic)
• Certificate in Community Health and Development (Direct Entry/Post Basic)
• Certificate in Community Nutrition
• Diploma in Community Nutrition

GLUK also offers short courses. The short courses seek to focus on the peculiar and common problems that graduates are likely to confront in their practice and are based on contemporary issues such as:
• International Health
• Health care in complex, chronic emergency situations
• Health economics, financing and poverty reduction
• Health, ethics and human rights
• Reproductive and child health
• Health policy analysis and development.
• Communication and Technology
• Advanced Research Methods

Source: GLUK Website

Great Lakes is in Kisumu Town in Kisumu Town East Constituency.

 

KCA University

 

KCA Kisumu Campus officially launched its programmes on 14th January 2002. Its campus is at Swan centre, Oginga Odinga Street, in Kisumu Town in Kisumu Town East Constituency. Today the campus has an annual enrolment of 1200 students in full-time and distant learning programs. KCA Kisumu campus also hosts the Victoria Institute of Science and Technology (VIST), a multimedia centre that trains youth in information technology and entrepreneurship.

 

Moi University Odera Akang'o Campus Yala

 

The Campus was officially launched on 19^th August 2008. It is located in Yala Town approximately 45km north of Kisumu Town on the Kisumu - Busia Road in Kisumu Town West Constituency.

The campus offers masters programs as well as degrees, diplomas, certificate and short courses. Some of the Masters programs include education (with 13 specializations), human resource management and public administration.

 

 

classrooms at the Odera Akang'o Campus in Yala

 

University of Nairobi Kisumu Campus

 

University of Nairobi's Kisumu Campus is located on the Lakeside City of Kisumu in Mega City Plaza. The courses offered here are:

Bachelor of Commerce,

Bachelor of Law and

Masters in Business Administration.

It is in Kisumu Town East Constituency.

 

 

Kenyatta University Institute of Open, Distance and e-Learlning ODeL Kisumu Campus

 

Kenyatta University has a regional centre in the centre of Kisumu Town administered by the Institute of Open, Distance eLearning (ODeL). The center offers both academic and administrative support to students taking open learning/distance education programmes.

The Centre’s expanded roles are:

• Recruiting of students
• Guiding potential students on the various academic programmes
• Career choices and pathing
• The teaching practice

It's located at the Kisumu Day High School, off the Kisumu Nairobi Road, in Kisumu Town East Constituency.

Libraries

 

The government-owned Kenya National Library Service KNLS, has 1 public library in Kisumu County at Kisumu Town's Ochieng Avenue in Kisumu Town East Constituency. Contacts:

Kisumu KNLS Provincial Library P.O. Box 1727 Kisumu Tel: 057/2022003,020-2158368 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

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Health

 

In this Page:   3. Health Health Facilities Public Health & Sanitation Traditional Medicine

 

 

Introduction

 

Kisumu County has a total of about 138 health facilities. These facilities range from the Nyanza Provincial Hospital (KEPH rating level 5) to Maternity/Nursing Homes, (KEPH rating level 1). ¹/₂ of them (50%) are government-run.

The doctor to patient ratio is approximately 1:15,000 against the national average of 1:25,000 (OpenData, approx). The average distance to a health facility is 5-8 km (NCAPD, Kisumu District Strategic Plan 2005-2010).

The following is a more detailed breakdown of Kisumu County health facilities, by ownership and type (KEPH level), etc:

 

Table 3.1: Health Facilities Ownership Summary in Kisumu County

 

Owner	Total Facilities	%	Hospital	Health Centre	Dispensary	Maternity and Nursing Home	Medical Clinic
Faith Based Organizations: CHAK, Catholic, Other Faiths	14	10%	3	4	5	1	1
Ministry of Health	69	50%	11	11	47
Company Medical	3	2%		2	1
Public Institution	2	1%			1		1
Local Authority	15	11%		4	11
NGO	12	9%		3	4	1	4
CoDF	1	1%			1
Private	22	16%	6	2	1	3	10
Totals	138		20	26	71	5	16

 

All the 15 Local Authority health facilities in the county are either in Kisumu Town East or Kisumu Town West Constituency.

 

Health Facilities

 

The largest hospital in Kisumu County is the Ministry of Health's - Nyanza Provincial General Hospital located in Kisumu Town West's Manyatta B area in Kisumu Town East Constituency.

Locally known as "Russia" and commissioned in 1967, the hospital was a gift to the government of Kenya from that of the former USSR. Nyanza is the major referral hospital in the Nyanza, Western and North-Rift Valley counties serving a population in excess of 5 million. It has a bed capacity of 467 with bed occupancy of about 94.8%. The highest bed occupancy being in surgical wards and gynaecology at 148.7% and 146% respectively. Out patient visits annually average 197,200 and in patient admissions about 21,000. (Ref: New Nyanza Website)

 

Table 3.2: Notable Hospitals in Kisumu County

 

Facility Name	Type	Owner	Sub Location	Constituency	KEPH Level	Beds	Cots
Maseno University Medical Clinic	Dispensary	Parastatal	West Karateng	KISUMU RURAL	Level 2	25	0
Kisumu District Hospital	District Hospital	Ministry of Health	Northern	KISUMU TOWN EAST	Level 4	195	0
Kombewa District Hospital	District Hospital	Ministry of Health	Upper Kombewa	KISUMU RURAL	Level 4	60	0
Nyando District Hospital	District Hospital	Ministry of Health	Kabodho East	NYAKACH	Level 4	20	2
St Vincents De Paul Health Centre	Health Centre	Kenya Episcopal Conference-Catholic Secretariat	Muhoroni Town	MUHORONI	Level 3	24	12
Kodiaga Prison Health Centre	Health Centre	Ministry of Health	Korando A	KISUMU TOWN WEST	Level 3	40	0
Maseno Mission Hospital	Other Hospital	Christian Health Association of Kenya	West Karateng	KISUMU RURAL	Level 4	78	30
Nyabondo Mission Hospital	Other Hospital	Kenya Episcopal Conference-Catholic Secretariat	Gari	NYAKACH	Level 4	250	25
St Monica Hospital	Other Hospital	Kenya Episcopal Conference-Catholic Secretariat	Konya	KISUMU TOWN EAST	Not Classified	74
Aga Khan Hospital (Kisumu)	Other Hospital	Private Enterprise (Institution)	Southern	KISUMU TOWN EAST	Not Classified
Nyanza Provincial General Hospital (PGH)	Provincial General Hospital	Ministry of Health	Manyatta B	KISUMU TOWN WEST	Level 5	457	0
Ahero Sub-District Hospital	Sub-District Hospital	Ministry of Health	Kakola Ahero	NYANDO	Level 4	30	0
Marie Stopes Nursing Home (Kisumu)	Nursing Home	Non-Governmental Organizations	Kondelle	KISUMU TOWN EAST	Not Classified	32	0

 

Kisumu Hospice

 

A section of the Kisumu Hospice

 

The Kisumu Hospice, registered in December 1996 by the NGO Coordinating Bureau, has been providing home care and support to the terminally ill since September 1998. It operates throughout the Nyanza, Rift Valley and Western Provinces in Kenya. To date, around 1,000 patients have been cared for. The patients are referred by doctors in public and private hospitals and clinics from all over western Kenya. Some are referred from the rest of the country and a few from neighbouring Tanzania and Uganda.

 

One of the vehicles available to both Siaya and Kisumu Hospices

 

Kisumu Hospice has extended its work to Siaya. In this it is helped by the vehicle shown above which was partly financed by Hospice Care Kenya, HCK.

It is run by the Kenya Hospices and Palliative Care Association, KEHPCA.

 

Public Health & Sanitation

 

Table 3.3 Health & Sanitation Demographics for Kisumu County

 

Indicator	Rate	National Ranking	Leading County	National Average
Infant Mortality Rate (NCAPD 2005)	90/1000			54.7/1000 (2010)
Children below 5 yrs born in a health facility	43.7%	16th	Kirinyaga : 87.7%	37.0%
Immunization of children 12-23 months	53.1%	36th	Nyeri : 100%	65.9%
Under 5 Mortality Rate (NCAPD 2005)	110/1000
Urban households with access to piped water (2009)	39.7%	22nd	Isiolo : 85.8%	38.5%
Rural households access to piped water (2009)	7.7%	25th	Baringo : 53.3%	15.7%
Rural Access to main sewer, sceptic tank or cess pit (2009)	0.5%	21st	Baringo : 7.6%	0.8%
Urban Access to main sewer, sceptic tank or cess pit (2009)	13.0%	16th	Nairobi : 58.4%	11.5%
Morbidity (2005)	44.5%	44th	Narok & Nyandarua : 11.4%	25.5%
Incidence of Flu	0.0%	1st	Nakuru : 0.0%	14.0%
Incidence of Fever/Malaria	45.6%	30th	Nakuru : 0.0%	39.1%
Health Spending per Capita	29/=	13th	Lamu : 50/=	24/=
HIV/AIDS prevalence				5.9%
Life Expectancy (NCAPD 2005)	49 years			57.9 years (2011)

Source: OpenData

 

Traditional Medicine

 

Kisumu County does not have any formal preservation of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) through conservation of medicinal trees and plants. Like much of the rest of the country, there is need to gather and preserve IK from oral sources, practitioners, and arts and crafts.

 

 

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Work

 

In this Page   4. Work Agriculture Manufacturing Cooperative Societies Business Services Natural Resources

 

Introduction

 

62.10% of all households in Kisumu County depend on crop farming as a source of income. Agriculture, fishing, tourism, transport and related activities form the main sources of household incomes in the county. Kisumu is strategically located as the premier frontier county and inland terminal at Lake Victoria and thus makes it an important gateway to the East African regions around the lake.

The County of Kisumu's poverty index of 45.0% places it at no. 19 in Kenya, behind the County of Uasin Gishu (2005/06-KIHBS), against Kenya's poverty index average rate of 46.6%. The County of Kajiado leads in this respect with a poverty index of 12.1%.

 

4.1: Rural Urban and Economic Indicators for Kisumu County (2009)

 

Indicator		Rate (Estimates)	National Average	Ranking	Leading County
Urban Population		52.4%	32.3%	4th	Nairobi & Mombasa : 100%
Unemployed/Seeking Work	Male	46.3%	46.2%	18th	Wajir: 72.5%
	Female	57.8%	46.2%	17th	Wajir: 78.2%
Access to Electricity		30.8%	32.6%	22nd	Nairobi: 72.4%
Rural Population		47.6%	67.7%	44th	Tharaka-Nithi : 93.4%
Unemployed/ Seeking Work	Male	52.4%	46.2%	4th	Makueni: 58.0%
	Female	53.6%	46.2%	14th	Garissa: 67.7%
Access to Electricity		3.1%	4.4%	23rd	Kiambu: 26.8%
Poverty Index (2005/6 KIHBS)		45.0%	46.6%	19th	Kajiado: 12.1%

Source: OpenData, Retrieved Dec 2011.

 

The unemployment rates given in the Table 4.1 above include those for that part of the labour force that is economically inactive at any given time.

The main causes of poverty in Kisumu District (and the county by extension) are identified as environmental, economic, lack of exploitation of the natural resources, HIV/AIDS menace and socio-cultural factors. Inadequate and unreliable rainfall pattern has immensely affected agricultural activities which is a source of livelihood of 90% of the population. On the other hand, during the rainy season, persistent flooding of the major rivers in the low lying areas destroy crops and causes water borne diseases for both human and livestock. (Source: NCAPD., Kisumu District Strategic Plan 2005-2010).

Kisumu County's population is 52.4% urban making it the fourth most urbanised county behind Kiambu County in third at 60.8%.

It is a subject of debate whether the upgrading of Kisumu town to City status has positively contributed to higher investment and hence more industrial and economic growth leading to higher employment opportunities for both sexes. The newly upgraded airport of Kisumu to international status is expected to improve the economic activity levels in the county.

 

Agriculture

 

As earlier stated, 62.10% of all households in Kisumu County depend on crop farming as a source of income. With a county household density of 107.8 per sq. km., much of this agricultural activity is practised on small parcels of land. Continued pressure and subsequently sub-division of land, much like in the rest of the country has led to environmental degradation that has been made worse by global warming, causing parts of the county to experience food shortages at various times. Perennial flooding in Nyando and other parts continues to affect food production.

The main (cash and food) crops grown include beans, maize, tea, sorghum, finger millet, potatoes, pyrethrum, sugarcane, ground-nuts, kales and cotton. Rice is grown under 2,000 ha. at the Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Nyando Constituency. The water to the scheme is fed by gravity from River Nyando. Rice is also grown on a smaller scale at the Kabonyo Irrigation Scheme in Nyando Constituency.

Tending a a rice farm at Ahero

Sugar cane is grown extensively in Muhoroni and parts of Nyando Constituencies and is indeed the most important cash crop of the two areas. Most production (90%) is grown on small scale farms, with smaller amounts on nucleus estates around the cane factories.

Kisumu County is home to a center of the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, KARI at Kibos in Kisumu Town East Constituency.

 

Fishing

 

Lake Victoria is the second largest fresh water lake in the world. It is rich in fish and has been the main source of this food for the people of the county and surrounding areas. The main fish from the lake are Tilapia, the Nile-perch and Omena (Rastrineobola Argentea). Fishing is an important source of food, income, employment, and foreign exchange for the county. Fishery is conducted for both domestic and commercial purposes. Commercial fishery makes an annual production of about xxx tonnes.

Dunga Fish Landing Pier

 

what percentage of the county population depends on fishing?

what is the earnings from fishing to the entire county's income?

 

4.2 Notable Agricultural Farms in Kisumu County

 

	Agricultural Producer	Main Activity	Constituency	Other Details
1	Ahero Rice Irrigation Scheme	Rice	Nyando
2	Kabonyo Rice Irrigation Scheme	Rice	Nyando
3

 

Livestock Farming

 

Kisumu County has significant populations of indegenous chicken and chicken under commercial production, accounting nationally for 3.31% and 2.10% respectively. This earned the County about xxxxx in 2011.

 

Table 4.3 Notable Livestock Demographics for Kisumu County

 

Livestock	Populations	National Percentage	Ranking	Leading County
Pigs	4,260	1.27%	17th	Busia : 48,788, 14.58%
Commercial Chicken	127,464	2.10%	14th	Kiambu : 1,686,565, 27.78%
Indigenous Chicken	852,495	3.31%	12th	Kakamega: 1,604,159, 6.23%
Cattle	75,595	1.56%	25th	Turkana: 1,534,612, 8.79%

Source: OpenData. Retrieved Dec 2011.

 

With the expected rapid growth of a vibrant tourism sector in the county, as well as the large numbers of colleges and universities, Kisumu is expected to grow its production of chicken, beef and pork.

 

Manufacturing

 

Kisumu County is home to well known industrial and manufacturing businesses. Perhaps the most notable is the Kisumu Molasses Plant.

 

Table 4.4: Notable Manufacturing Firms in Nakuru County

 

	Manufacturer	Main Activity	Constituency	Other Details
1	The Kenya Chemical and Food Corporation, KCFC, (Kisumu Molasses Plant)	Production of portable and industrial alcohol, wet and dry bakers yeast and vinegar.	Kisumu Rural	Established in 1978. Main input is Molasses purchased from sugar factories.
2	Chemelil Sugar Company	Production of mill white sugar.	Nyando	Founded in 1965 as a private company, became a parastatal in 1974.
3	Muhoroni Sugar Company		Muhoroni
4
5	Equator Bottlers Ltd	Manufacture of Soft Drinks.

 

Cooperative Societies

 

Kisumu Teachers Sacco Society Ltd is one of the few cooperatives of note in the county. One other sacco in the county with a significant presence is the Metropolitan Teachers Sacco Society.

 

Metropolitan Teachers Sacco Society

 

Metropolitan Teachers Sacco Society (formerly Kiambu Teachers Sacco) opened a branch in Kisumu City in October 2011.

 

Opening of the Kisumu Branch of Metropolitan Sacco in October 2011

 

Metropolitan Sacco was registered in 1977 in Kiambu County as Kiambu Teachers Sacco Society. It began its operations in 1978 and has grown over the years and now boasts of 5 branches at Bungoma, Thika, Limuru, Nairobi and Kiambu. Its membership is today drawn from teachers, civil servants, members of the disciplined forces, local governments, NGO's, central and county governments, private companies, approved business entrepreneurs, groups, and other institutions and Kenyans in the diaspora, hence the change of name to Metropolitan Teachers Sacco Limited to cater for the diversity. Source: Metropolitan Sacco.

As at 30th September 2011, the society’s membership stood at 17,187 up from about 5,557 in 2009, and deposits from Kshs.994, 562,000 to Kshs.1, 526,550,000; its loan portfolio grew from Kshs. 1,485,158000 to Kshs. 2,040,403,000 and total assets from Kshs. 1,906,379,000 to Kshs. 2,456,503,000 in the same period. Source: Ministry for Cooperatives.

Today, there are dozens of smaller saccos in the county, that serve farmers engaged in fishing, agriculture, livestock and dairy production as well as members involved in other economic activities and businesses such as transport, trade, housing, real estate, etc. Most of these co-ops do not offer FOSA services.

Kisumu City however, is well served by branches of national co-operatives societies such as Harambee Sacco, Mwalimu Sacco, Ukulima Sacco and others.

 

Business

 

The County of Kisumu's primary economic activities are agriculture, fishing, livestock farming, transport, tourism, and related activities. Thus most businesses in the county are engaged in supplies and services to these sectors. Due to its strategic location neighboring highly populated and rich agricultural counties, the adjacent Lake Victoria, as well as lying on the Mombasa to Busia transport (road and rail) corridor, Kisumu County offers great opportunities for investment in transport, manufacture, cottage industries, and related services.

As the 4th most urbanised county in Kenya, Kisumu County is dotted with many large populations in small geographical areas (towns) that are ideal for business opportunities in the entertainment, food, and transport services.

The recent upgrading of the Kisumu Airport to international status is expected to make Kisumu (and surrounding counties) a vibrant hub of movement, travel and transport of local and international visitors, as well as goods and products.

 

Services

 

With its fast-growwing populations especially in and around Kisumu City, the county is expected to offers important services to neighbouring counties; such services include financial services, transport, commerce, education, medical, sports events, etc.

 

Natural Resources

 

Over the years, resources in Kisumu County have been exploited to varying degrees. The most important is Lake Victoria and its ecosystem. Although there exists potential for further growth and opportunities for investment, the challenge of Kisumu County will be the conservation of this rich ecosystem:

Significant in this regard is Community Tourism that has become a significant component of the tourism industry in Kenya.

 

Lake Victoria

 

Lake Victoria is the largest tropical lake in the world. There is great potential for the development of Community Tourism that would benefit the people of the county. This would allow sustainable management of the lake's ecosystem by the counties within this ecosystem.

Tourists increasingly seek out relatively undisturbed natural areas and constantly seek new experiences. They are drawn by the prospect of seeing unusually spectacular scenery and unique plants and animals in their native habitats, as well as cultural and historical features found in these areas.

If local communities directly benefit from the use of their land, water, forests and other natural resources, they can be expected to support and participate in efforts to conserve and sustain them. Thus community tourism projects initiated aim at:

• increasing socioeconomic benefits to communities and landowners;
• sustainably manage the environment;
• raise awareness of and support for conservation, and
• increase a community’s capacity to conserve and manage natural resources outside protected areas. (Source: ACC)

 

There has been public scrutiny in the past focusing on the declining fish numbers in the lake as the main cause of the degradation of the lake. However the real causes of this include unregulated fishing by fishermen drawn from the 3 East African countries around the lake. The result is over fishing, use of illegal fishing nets and baiting. Pollution from industrial and domestic activities as well as colonisation of surface water by the hyacinth plant has also been cited as a contributor to low fish populations.

The water hyacinth now poses a significant challenge to both fishermen and boats.

Thus Kisumu stands to make great gains should there be full exploitation of this resource as part of the western circuit of Kenya's tourism industry.

Although many rivers drain into Lake Victoria, it is believed that the water balance of the lake is maintained primarily through rainfall and evaporation, rather than inflows and outflows. This makes it possible for the rich agricultural areas of Kisumu to boldly step up and use the waters from these rivers for agriculture, domestic use, etc.

Only Muhoroni Constituency is land-locked among the 6 constituencies in the county.

• The lake's water is yet to be fully exploited for domestic use.
• The lake provides diverse habitats for a variety of fish Tilapia, the Nile-perch and Omena (Rastrineobola Argentea) and many others.
• The lake and some of its swampy environs supports a rich variety of wildlife and birds which draw thousands of local and overseas visitors each year.
• Marine transport in the lake is not fully developed to link Homa Bay County with the county of Kisumu, as well as making Kisumu the gateway to Uganda and Tanzania.
• Luxury cruise and water sport is yet to be exploited on Lake Victoria.

Sondu Miriu River and Hydroelectric Power Project SMHPP

 

Sondu River has a catchment area of 3,345 sq. km, rising from the western Mau highlands, and a length of 200 km, an average annual rainfall of 1,500 mm and an annual mean discharge of 41 cu.m/sec. The 60MW (2x30MW) power project was completed in 2007. Unlike other hydro-power projects in Kenya, SMHPP does not have a major dam and associated large reservoir but relies on the flow in the river with only a small storage capacity at the intake, thus reducing the environmental impact.

Part of the 1km surface penstock at the Sondu/Miriu Power Station in Kisumu County

 

Once the water has turned the turbines to generate electricity in the power house down below, it is then returned to the Sondu River approximately 13km downstream of the intake. The power project is just one component of a 3 stage multipurpose development master plan prepared in 1985, and includes the Magwaga Dam, and the Kano Plain Irrigation Scheme. The Magwaga Dam was anticipated to have a capacity of a 120 MW station named Sang'oro, while the Kano Plains Scheme was to be of 2,380 ha and 14,930 ha before and after completion of the Magwagwa Dam, respectively. (Source: Kengen)

The power station is in Nyakach Constituency, and presently accounts for 6% of Kenya's total power consumption. It is linked by a 50 km power line to the Kisumu substation. Kengen, the power generating company, has funded water, education and health projects in Nyakach Constituency.

 

 

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Government

 

In this Page:   5. Government County Executive County Assembly National Government        County Finance

 

Introduction

 

The new limited devolution of power as laid out in the new constitution, provides that executive authority in the county will be exercised by a county executive committee headed by an elected governor. An elected County Assembly headed by a Speaker will legislate on county matters and exercise limited oversight powers on the executive. The authority, roles and functions of both the County Executive and the County Assembly are discussed under the 47 Counties of 2010 link.

 

Vision

 

What is the vision of the people of the new County of Kisumu?

How do the people of this area want to be identified?

What do they want to be known for?

And where do they want to be in the next 10 years?

 

County Executive

 

The following are the members who have been appointed to serve in the County Executive of Kisumu County:

 

Table 5.4 Members of the Kisumu County Executive

 

No	Member	Gender	Constituency	Department	Leadership: education, qualification, service,
1	Governor Jack Nyanungo Raguma	Male
2	D/Governor Ruth Adhiambo Odinga Busia	Female
3	A N Other	Male	Seme	Health
4			Nyando
5				Education
6		Female
7				Transport
8			Kisumu East
9				Housing
10		Male	Nyakach

 

County Assembly

 

The following are the elected and nominated persons who will serve in the Kisumu County Assembly:

 

Table 5.4 Members of the Kisumu County Assembly 2013

 

No	Member	Ward	Constituency	Gender	Leadership:committees in which serving, initiatives, interest group representing if he/she is nominated,
	Speaker Ann Atieno Adul	N/A	N/A	Female
1	D/Speaker A N Other
	Joseph Simba Opepo	Kajulu	Kisumu East	Male
	John Osumba Olum	Kolwa East	Kisumu East	Male
	Akoth Okombo Nereah	Manyatta 'B'	Kisumu East	Female
	Jackton Otieno Onunga	Nyalenda 'A'	Kisumu East	Male
	Kelvin Odhiambo Okoth	Kolwa Central	Kisumu East	Male
	Joseph Onyango Otiende	South West Kisumu	Kisumu West	Male
	Pamella Apondi Omino	Central Kisumu	Kisumu West	Female
	Caroline P Awino Owen	Kisumu North	Kisumu West	Female
10	Paul Odhiambo Okiri	West Kisumu	Kisumu West	Male
	Samuel Baker Otieno Ombogo	North West Kisumu	Kisumu West	Male
	Isaya Omwango Onyango	Railways	Kisumu Central	Male
	Paul Ochieng Achayo	Migosi	Kisumu Central	Male
	Priscah Auma Misachi	Shaurimoyo Kaloleni	Kisumu Central	Female
	Philip Edwine Anayo	Market Milimani	Kisumu Central	Male
	Gabriel Ochieng	Kondele	Kisumu Central	Male
	James Oyugi Were	Nyalenda 'B'	Kisumu Central	Male
	Benter Akinyi Ogollah	West Seme	Seme	Female
	John Oguk Omondi Kadede	Central Seme	Seme	Male
20	Aggrey Odhiambo Ogosi	East Seme	Seme	Male
	James Okoth Dianga	North Seme	Seme	Male
	Moses J Odhiambo Ochele	East Kano/Wawidhi	Nyando	Male
	Fanuel Aim	Awasi/Onjiko	Nyando	Male
	Maurice Onyango Aloo	Ahero	Nyando	Male
	Charles Aguko Aguko	Kabonyo/Kanyagwal	Nyando	Male
	Malin Atieno Akinyi	Kobura	Nyando	Female
	Maurice Omondi Ondiek	Miwani	Muhoroni	Male
	Joshua Atieno Auko	Ombeyi	Muhoroni	Male
	Samuel Onyango Ong'ow	Masogo/Nyang'oma	Muhoroni	Male
30	Wills Ogonyo Mindeu	Muhoroni/Koru	Muhoroni	Male
	Benjamin Juma Onyango	South West Nyakach	Nyakach	Male
	Yona Maina Koko	North Nyakach	Nyakach	Male
	Elijah Omondi	Central Nyakach	Nyakach	Male
	James Ochieng Omolo	West Nyakach	Nyakach	Male
35	Petronilla Achieng Omondi	South East Nyakach	Nyakach	Female

To be listed by constituency. This would show the relative strength of wards/constituency, gender/constituency, nominated/constituency in the Assembly for purposes of parity.

 

National Government

 

In our discussion of the Provincial Administration (or PA) under the link on Government, we noted that the Constitution of Kenya 2010 has spelled out in the Fourth Schedule, the roles and functions of the National Government as being separate from those of the County Government. We saw that a restructured PA will be the means by which the Executive will undertake its National obligations and responsibilities and through which it will cooperate and liaise with the people of the Counties and the County Governments. The following are the heads of the Provincial Administration (National Government) departments represented in Kisumu County:

 

Table 5.5 County Heads of the Provincial Administration

 

Office	Head	Gender	Contacts
County Commissioner	Lorna Odero	Female
Director of Education	A N Other
Police Commander	A N Other
Procurement Officer
County Controller of Budget
Administration Police Commander	A N Other

 

County Finance

 

Kisumu County is set to receive x.x billion Shillings as its share of devolution funds, from the Consolidated Fund, into its Revenue Fund for the financial year 2013/2014. Relevant information touching on the County Revenue for Kisumu will be provided here as it becomes available via official, verifiable channels.

 

Proposed Budget

 

Expenditure

 

Audit Reports

 

 

 

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Elections & Politics

 

In this Page:   6. Elections & Politics Political Parties Governor Senator Women Representative Constituencies and MPs         Wards

 

 

Political Parties

 

The politics of Kisumu County is currently dominated by the Orange Democratic Party, ODM. The place and manner of Political Parties under the Constitution of Kenya 2010, is discussed in more detail under the Politics & Elections link.

 

Governor

 

The following people have declared their interest in running for the office of Governor of Kisumu County.

 

Table 6.1 Results for Governor for Kisumu County 2013

 

Candidate	Gender	Party	Votes	% Votes	Leadership bio, education, public office held, birth place (constituency)
Francis Erick Otieno Osenya	Male	TNA	7,300	2.1%
Jackton Ranguma	Male	ODM	336,270	97.9%

 

Senator

 

The following people ran for the office of Senator for Kisumu County.

 

Table 6.2 Results for Senator for Kisumu County 2013

 

Candidate	Gender	Party	Votes	% Votes	Leadership
Winston Ochoro Ayoki	Male	POA	5,091	1.5%	bio, education, public office held, birth place (constituency)
Peter Anyang' Nyong'o	Male	ODM	320,849	94.3%
Alice Aoko Omondi	Female	TNA	8,202	2.4%
George Nyambune Weda	Male	Farmers	6,079	1.8%

 

Women Representative

 

The following women ran for the office of Women Representative for Kisumu County in the National Assembly.

 

Table 6.3 Results for Women Representative for Kisumu County 2013

 

Candidate	Party	Votes	% Votes	Leadership bio, education, public office held, birth place (constituency)
Millicent Anyango Abudho	TNA
Rose Auma Ogendo	ODM
Janet Awino Ogot	DP
Dorine Adhiambo Otieno	NARC-K

 

Constituencies and Members of Parliament

 

A) A History of Representation in Kisumu County (District) Under the 1963 Constitution

Kisumu County is represented in the National Assembly by 6 directly elected members for Kisumu Rural Constituency, Kisumu Town East Constituency, Kisumu Town West Constituency, Muhoroni Constituency, Nyakach Constituency, and Nyando Constituency. At independence in 1963, the county (district) had 4 constituencies of Kisumu Town, Kisumu Rural, Nyando and Winam, which have since been split to create 3 additional legislative areas, as shown in the tables below. Winam Constituency was scrapped and merged with Kisumu Town Constituency before the 19xx elections.

 

Table 6.4 MP's for Winam Constituency

 

Election Year	Constituency	Member of Parliament	Party
1963	Winam	Otieno Oyoo	KANU
1963	Winam	L W Osele-Nyalick	KANU
1969	Winam	L W Osele-Nyalick	KANU
1974	Winam	Geoffrey N Onyulo	KANU
1979	Winam	L W Osele-Nyalick	KANU
1983*	Winam	Peter Anyumba Abuto	KANU

*Winam Constituency was de-established in 1987 for the General Elections

 

Table 6.5 M.Ps for Kisumu Town, Kisumu Town East, Kisumu Town West Constituencies

 

Election Year	Constituency	Member of Parliament	Party
1963	Kisumu Town	A H Jamal	KANU
1966	Kisumu Town		KANU
1969	Kisumu Town	Grace A M Onyango	KANU
1974	Kisumu Town		KANU
1979	Kisumu Town	Grace A M Onyango	KANU
1983	Kisumu Town	Wilson Ndolo Ayah	KANU
1988	Kisumu Town	Robert John Ouko	KANU
1990	Kisumu Town		KANU
1992	Kisumu Town		FORD-Asili
1997	Kisumu Town East*	Gor Sunguh	NDP
	Kisumu Town West*	Job Omino	KANU
2002	Kisumu Town East	Gor Sunguh	NARC
2003	Kisumu Town West	Job Omino**	NARC
	Kisumu Town West	Kennedy Odhiambo Nyagudi	NARC
2007	Kisumu Town East	Ahmed Shakeel Shabbir Ahmed	ODM
	Kisumu Town West	John Olago Aluoch	ODM
2013***	Kisumu East	Shakeel Shabbir A Ahmed	ODM
	Kisumu West	John Olago Aluoch	FORD-Kenya
	Kisumu Central	Ken Obura Mirenga

*Kisumu Town was split into Kisumu Town East and Kisumu Town West for the 1997 General Elections. **Job Omino died in office in 2003.

***Kisumu Town East and West Constituencies were split into East, West, and Central for the 2013 General Elections. 

 

Table 6.6 M.Ps for Kisumu Rural Constituency

 

Election Year	Constituency	Member of Parliament	Party
1963	Kisumu Rural	T Okelo-Odongo	KPU
1966	Kisumu Rural		KANU
1969	Kisumu Rural	Wilson Ndolo Ayah	KANU
1974	Kisumu Rural	W A Onyango Ayoki	KANU
1979	Kisumu Rural	John Robert Ouko	KANU
1983	Kisumu Rural	John Robert Ouko	KANU
1988	Kisumu Rural	Wilson Ndolo Ayah	KANU
1992	Kisumu Rural	Peter Anyang Nyong'o	FORD-K
1997	Kisumu Rural	Winston O Ayoki	NDP
2002	Kisumu Rural	Peter Anyang Nyong'o	NARC
2007	Kisumu Rural	Peter Anyang Nyong'o	ODM
2013	Seme*	James Wambura Nyikal	ODM

 *Kisumu Rural was renamed Seme for the 2013 General Elections

 

Table 6.7 MPs for Nyando, Nyakach, and Muhoroni Constituencies

 

Election Year	Constituency	Member of Parliament	Party
1963	Nyando	Okuto Bala	KANU
1966	Nyando	Okuto Bala	KANU
	Nyakach*	M Ondiek-Chillo	KANU
1969	Nyando	T O Ogada	KANU
	Nyakach	James Dennis Akumu	KANU
1974	Nyando	Matthew C Onyango-Midika	KANU
	Nyakach	Samson Odoyo	KANU
1979	Nyando	Matthew C Onyango-Midika	KANU
	Nyakach	Ojwang K'Ombudo	KANU
1983	Nyando	T O Ogada	KANU
	Nyakach	Ojwang K'Ombudo	KANU
1988	Nyando	James Miruka Owuor	KANU
	Muhoroni**	Matthew C Onyango-Midika	KANU
	Nyakach	Ojwang K'Ombudo	KANU
1992	Nyando	Clarkson Otieno Karan	FORD-K
	Muhoroni	Justus Aloo Ogeka	FORD-K
	Nyakach	James Dennis Akumu	FORD-K
1997	Nyando	Paul Orwa Otita	NDP
	Muhoroni	William Odongo Omamo	NDP
	Nyakach	Peter Ochieng Odoyo	NDP
2002	Nyando	Eric Opon Nyamunga	NARC
	Muhoroni	Patrick Ayiecho Olweny	NARC
	Nyakach	Peter Ochieng Odoyo	NARC
2007	Nyando	Frederick Outa Otieno	ODM
	Muhoroni	Patrick Ayiecho Olweny	ODM
	Nyakach	Pollyins Ochieng Anyango	ODM
2013	Nyando	Fredrick Otieno Outa	ODM
	Muhoroni	James Onyango Oyoo	PDP
	Nyakach	Joshua Aduma Owuor	ODM

*Nyakach Constituency was created from Nyando Constituency for the 1966 general elections. **Muhoroni Constituency was also hived from Nyando Constituency for the 1988 elections.

 

The political history of Kisumu County is incomplete without special mention of one Mrs. Grace Onyango.

 

Grace Onyango

 

Grace Akech Onyango was a teacher, social worker, and politician in one. Onyango was born in 1927 in Gobei Township in Siaya County and attended Ng’iya Girls Secondary School. She later trained as a teacher. Between 1951 and 1964, Onyango became the principal of Ng’iya Women’s Teachers’ Training College, a Girl Guide Assistant Commissioner in Kisumu District, as well as the Chair of the Kisumu Branch of the Child Welfare Society.

But perhaps its in politics that Onyango is best remembered. This remarkable woman was the first woman in Kenya to be elected as an MP. She was first elected in 1969 to represent Kisumu Town Constituency. She was also the first African woman mayor in Kenya when she served as mayor of Kisumu Town between 1965 and 1969, replacing Mathias P Ondiek who was himself in 1961 the first African Mayor in Kenya. Prior to being elected mayor she had been elected in 1964 as a councillor for Kaloleni Ward and Chair of the Education Committee of the Kisumu Municipal Council. Onyango showed remarkable understanding of what her election as mayor and MP meant:

"Grace Onyango viewed her first electoral contests as political battles, not as referendums on gender. That she chose to deemphasize the role of her sex in the fashioning of her political platforms at municipal and later at parliamentary level is thus not surprising. On December 21, 1969, Enid Da Silva, a newspaper journalist, interviewed the M.P.-elect. Da Silva was surprised at Onyango’s responses to questions that were addressed to her as a woman.
Q. Do you feel that you have something special to do for the people of Kisumu which another elected member would not be capable of doing?
A. Well, it is the representative’s duty to see that things are done according to the wishes of the people.
Q. Do you have any plans of what you propose to do for the people of your constituency once you become an M.P.?
A. I think it is for the people to tell me what they want done.
Q. As one of the pioneer women in Kenyan politics, what are your views on the role of women both in the political life of a nation and in nation building?
A. As an elected representative of both men and women, I will not represent women only in Parliament. I don’t think I could say anything directly to the women because it was not only women who elected me." (Source: Musandu Phoebe A.).

Yet Grace Onyango had the grace, finesse and respect to remain very much in touch with her Luo traditions as Musandi Phoebe A., further elaborates:

"A Kenya Times journalist, John Mugo, once described her as “a woman of many parts,” who “is at once modern, while she is also versed in Luo kitgi gitimbegi, a term depicting culture and etiquette. It is interesting to note that when Grace Onyango became mayor of Kisumu (this term in the English language is masculine and initially refered to a male incumbent), she enlisted a mayoress to play the role of “mayor’s” wife. Phililia Olang’ took up that position and served Onyango in that capacity throughout her term in office. Grace Onyango attended various functions in the company of both her mayoress and her husband Onyango Baridi. Her actions were reminiscent of the traditional woman-to-woman marriage. Thus as Grace Onyango operated within the larger political context, she also functioned within the changing political space of the Luo community."

Grace Onyango believed strongly about her political stand so much so that she refused to be intimidadated by Tom Mboya and KANU for being a member and sympathiser of Kaggia's and Odinga's KAU political party. As a shrewed political operative Onyango was able to remain in office as mayor and complete her term before stepping up and successfully running for the elective position as MP for Kisumu Town. By the 1969 general elections, Kenya had become a de-jure single party political state and Onyango was thus elected on a KANU ticket.

 

B) Demographics for the Constituencies of Kisumu County at the 2007 Elections

 

Table 6.8 Constituency Population and Density Demographics for Kisumu County

 

Constituency	Population	Population %age	Area in Sq. Km.	Density people per Sq. Km
KISUMU RURAL	144,907	14.96%	358.69	404.0
KISUMU TOWN EAST	264,227	27.27%	145.83	1,811.9
KISUMU TOWN WEST	139,933	14.44%	143.92	972.3
MUHORONI	145,764	15.04%	667.30	218.4
NYAKACH	133,041	13.73%	357.18	372.5
NYANDO	141,037	14.56%	413.01	341.5
Totals/Averages	968,909		2,085.93	686.8

 

In population terms, with the exception of Kisumu Town East, the absolute constituency populations of Kisumu County are very well balanced. Kisumu Town East has about twice the combined populations of any two constituencies, and together with Kisumu Town West, hold more than 41% of the County's population.

 

Table 6.9 Constituency Size and Density Demographics for Kisumu County

 

Constituency	Population %age	Area in Sq. Km.	Area %age	Density people per Sq. Km
KISUMU RURAL	14.96%	358.69	17.20%	404.0
KISUMU TOWN EAST	27.27%	145.83	6.99%	1,811.9
KISUMU TOWN WEST	14.44%	143.92	6.90%	972.3
MUHORONI	15.04%	667.30	31.99%	218.4
NYAKACH	13.73%	357.18	17.12%	372.5
NYANDO	14.56%	413.01	19.80%	341.5
Totals/Averages		2,085.93		686.8

 

Kisumu Town East and West Constituencies cover the smallest areas of the six constituencies in the county. They are both within the City of Kisumu hence their high populations. Kisumu Town East is the most densely populated because of its large urban population. Muhoroni is the largest of them all but has the least population density.

 

Table 6.10 Constituency Household Demographics for Kisumu County

 

Constituency	Population	Households	Household %age	Average Household Size	Area in Sq. Km.	Density: households per sq km.
KISUMU RURAL	144,907	32,992	14.55%	4.4	358.69	91.98
KISUMU TOWN EAST	264,227	67,291	29.68%	3.9	145.83	461.43
KISUMU TOWN WEST	139,933	33,232	14.66%	4.2	143.92	230.91
MUHORONI	145,764	33,551	14.80%	4.3	667.30	50.28
NYAKACH	133,041	29,214	12.89%	4.6	357.18	81.79
NYANDO	141,037	30,439	13.43%	4.6	413.01	73.70
Totals/Averages	968,909	226,719		4.3	2,085.93	165.01

 

Once again, the highly urban Kisumu Town East and West Constituencies, have a sizeable household population and density.

 

Table 6.11 Constituency Electoral Demographics for Kisumu County (2007)

 

Constituency	Area %	Voters	% Voters	Member of Parliament	Party
KISUMU RURAL	17.20%	48,053	14.28%	Peter Anyang Nyong'o	ODM
KISUMU TOWN EAST	6.99%	52,261	15.53%	Ahmed Shakeel Shabbir Ahmed	ODM
KISUMU TOWN WEST	6.90%	86,700	25.76%	John Olago Aluoch	ODM
MUHORONI	31.99%	51,073	15.17%	Patrick Ayiecho Olweny	ODM
NYAKACH	17.12%	48,919	14.53%	Pollyins Ochieng Anyango	ODM
NYANDO	19.80%	49,591	14.73%	Frederick Outa Otieno	ODM

Kisumu Town West has by far the largest number of voters; at the 2010 constitutional referendum it registered even more voters at 91,604.

 

C) 2013 Boundaries and Electoral Demographics under the New Constitution and beyond

 

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission IEBC, has gazetted Kisumu County into 7 Constituencies for the 2013 General Elections after a review of the electoral boundaries in line with the requirements of the Constitution of Kenya 2010. The table below contains the breakdown of the new electoral boundaries of the constituencies.

 

Table 6.12 Constituencies of Kisumu County for the 2013 General Elections

 

Constituency	Population (2009 Census)	Population %age	Area sq km	Area %age	Population Density
Kisumu East	150,124	15.49%	135.90	6.76%	1,105
Kisumu West	131,246	13.55%	212.90	10.59%	616
Kisumu Central	168,892	17.43%	32.70	1.63%	5,165
Seme	98,805	10.20%	190.20	9.47%	519
Nyando	141,037	14.56%	413.20	20.56%	341
Muhoroni	145,764	15.04%	667.30	33.21%	218
Nyakach	133,041	13.73%	357.30	17.78%	372
Total	968,909		2,009.50

 

Below are the Winners of the 2013 General Elections for the Constituencies in Kisumu County. The table demonstrates the levels of representation of the people of the different Constituencies.

 

Table 6.13 2013 Electoral Demographics for Kisumu County in the 2013 General Elections

 

Constituency	Member	Registered Voters	Votes Cast	Votes Polled by Candidate	%age Polled by Candidate*	Representation Details
Kisumu East	Shakeel Shabbir
Kisumu West	John Olago Aluoch
Kisumu Central	Ken Obura Mirenga
Seme	James Wambura Nyikal
Nyando	Fredrick Otieno Outa
Muhoroni	James Onyango Oyoo
Nyakach	Joshua Aduma Owuor

Source: IEBC. *Also note that the column 6 on %ages represents what the candidate garnered at the polling day as a percentage of the total votes cast in column 4, and not as percentage of the registered voters given in column 3.

Representation under the New Constitution is further discussed in the link on Representation under the New Constitution. Table 6.15 below lists the Constituency election winners in the County at the 2013 General Elections, and a brief bio-data of each.

 

Table 6.14 Members Elected in 2013 for the Constituencies in Kisumu County

 

Constituency	Member	Gender	Party	Leadership: Bio, Education, Service, Experience
Kisumu East	Shakeel Shabbir	Male	ODM
Kisumu West	John Olago Aluoch	Male	FORD-K
Kisumu Central	Ken Obura Mirenga	Male	ODM
Seme	James Wambura Nyikal	Male	ODM
Nyando	Fredrick Otieno Outa	Male	ODM
Muhoroni	James Onyango Oyoo	Male	PDP
Nyakach	Joshua Aduma Owuor	Male	ODM

 

Wards

 

Table 6.15 Wards in the Constituency of Kisumu East

 

Count	Ward	Population	Area (sq.km.)	Sub-Locations
1	Kajulu	40,876	38.30	Comprises Got Nyabondo, Kadero-K, Okok, Konya and Wathorego
2	Kolwa East	21,288	57.80	Comprises Buoye, Chiga and Mayenya
3	Manyatta B	27,952	2.5	Comprises Manyatta B
4	Nyalenda A	28,269	3.2	Comprises Nyalenda A
5	Kolwa Central	31739	34.10	Comprises Nyalunya and Kasule

 

Table 6.16 Wards in the Constituency of Kisumu West

 

Count	Ward	Population	Area (sq km)	Sub-Locations
1	South West Kisumu	22,126	50.40	Comprises Ojolla, Osiri and Kanyawegi
2	Central Kisumu	38,128	30.30	Comprises Kogony, Korando ‘A’ and Korando ‘B’
3	Kisumu North	24,890	40.60	Comprises Dago, Mkendwa, Bar ‘a’, Bar ‘b’ and Nyahera
4	West Kisumu	22,147	56.40	Comprises Newa, Upper Kadongo, Lower Kadongo, South Kapuonja and North Kapuonja Sub–
5	North West Kisumu	23,955	35.20	Comprises West Karateng, East Karateng, Sunga and Marera

 

Table 6.17 Wards in the Constituency of Kisumu Central

 

Count	Ward	Population	Area (sq. km.)	Sub-Locations
1	Railways	34,924	15.10	Comprises Kanyakwar, Bandari and Nyawita
2	Migosi	19,826	1.90	Comprises Migosi
3	Shauri Moyo Kaloleni	14,806	2.10	Comprises Kaloleni
4	Market Milimani	18,902	6.50	Comprises Northern and Southern
5	Kondele	48,004	2.40	Comprises Manyatta A
6	Nyalenda B	32,430	4.70	Comprises Nyalenda B

 

Table 6.18 Wards in the Constituency of Seme

 

Count	Ward	Population	Area (sq.km)	Sub-Locations
1	West Seme	28,456	77.10	West Reru, East Reru, West Ngere, East Ngere, Ang’oga, Alwala, Kadinga West, East Kadinga, North Alungo and South Alungo
2	Central Seme	23,213	63.60	Comprises West Kanyadwera, East Kanyadwera, Upper Kombewa, East Othany, West Othany and Lower Kombewa
3	East Seme	21,688	55.70	Comprises West Kolunje, East kolunje, Kaila, Kitmikayi and Koker/Kajulu
4	North Seme	25,448	70.90	Comprises East Katieno, Kadero, West Katieno, North Kowe, South Kowe, North Rata and South Rata

 

Table 6.19 Wards in the Constituency of Nyando

 

Count	Ward	Population	Area (sq.km)	Sub-Locations
1	East Kano/Wawidhi	17,334	101.90	Comprises Magina, Nyakongo, Katolo, Achego and Ayweyo
2	Awasi/Onjiko	30,937	106.60	Comprises Kobongo, Border I, Ayucha, Border II, and Wang’ang’a
3	Ahero	31,440	39.80	Comprises Kakmie, Kakola Ahero, Tura, Kakola/Kochogo, Kakola Ombaka, Kochogo Central, and Kochogo North
4	Kabonyo/Kanyagwal	25,065	87.00	Comprises Kabonyo Irrigation Scheme, Kapiyo, Upper Bwanda, Kwa Kungu, Central Bwanda, Kolal, Anyuro, Ogenya, Ugwe, Nduru, and Kadhiambo
5	Kobura	36,261	77.90	Comprises Kotieno, Kamayoga, Lela, Masogo, Nyamware North, Nyamware South, Rabuor (Kochieng’) and Okana

 

Table 6.20 Wards in the Constituency of Muhoroni

 

Count	Ward	Population	Area (sq.km)	Sub-Locations
1	Miwani	19,426	132.30	Comprises Miwani North, Miwani East, Miwani Central and Miwani West
2	Ombeyi	26,307	92.50	Comprises Obumba ,Kang’o,Ramula, Kore and Ahero Irrigation Scheme
3	Masoga/Nyang’ma	32,496	106.10	Comprises Wang'aya I, Wang’aya II, Kamswa North, Kamswa South, Sidho I, Sidho East II, East Kabar, West Kabar and Central Kabar
4	Chemelil	26,378	153.30	Comprises Upper Tamu, Lower Tamu, Kibigori, Chemelil, Nyangore, West Songhor, East Songhor and God Abuoro
5	Muhoroni Koru	41,157	183.10	Comprises Muhoroni Town, Tonde, Orego, Owaga, Koru, Nyando, Ochoria, Fort-Ternan and Homa

 

Table 6.21 Wards in the Constituency of Nyakach

 

Count	Ward	Population	Area (sq.km)	Sub-Locations
1	South West Nyakach	17,322	50.90	Comprises Kajimbo, Ramogi, Gari and West Kadiang’a
2	North Nyakach	33,507	110.40	Comprises Rarieda, Lisana, Kasaye, Jimo Middle, Gem Rae and Gem Nam, Agoro East, Jimo East, Awach, Agoro West and Kandaria
3	Central Nyakach	25,282	76.00	Comprises Moro, Kabodho East, Olwalo, Jimo West, Kabodho North and Kabodho West
4	West Nyakach	26,403	69.00	Comprises Upper Kadiang’a, Anding’o Opanga, West Koguta, Nyong’onga and Lower Kadiang’a
5	South East Nyakach	30,527	51.00	Comprises East Koguta, East Kadiang'a and Ramogi

 

 

 

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Visitors

 

In this Page:   7. Visitors Attractions Parks & Reserves Hotels & Restaurants People & Places Art & Culture

 

Introduction

 

"Friendly and vibrant" is how first-time visitors describe the County of Kisumu. While the beautiful Lake Victoria is arguable Kisumu's greatest asset, the county is home to several important rivers, parks, many places of interest, and vast untapped tourism potential.

 

Attractions

 

Lake Victoria

 

Lake Victoria is a beautiful and fresh water lake. It is the largest tropical fresh water lake in the world. It got its name in 1858 from the first European to see the lake John Hanning Speke who named it after his Queen in England, Queen Victoria. It has a surface area of 68,800km², although only a small part (about 6%), belongs to Kenya territorially.

 

An Island on Lake Victoria

 

It is a shallow lake averaging 40 meters deep; Thus by volume it ranks as the seventh largest in the world. The lake has a very indented shore and numerous islands. These features make Lake Victoria the premier lake for sight-seeing, photography, bird watching and study or leisure visits to enjoy its great bio-diversity. Lake Victoria has many points along its shores and coves that are home to the hippo and crocodile as well as birds such as the fish eagles, egrets, cormorants and gannets. Abundant prehistoric remains found around the lake indicate the early development of agriculture.

 

A boat trip on lake victoria off Kisumu City

 

Lake Victoria is the source of the River Nile. The lake water is drained at a rate of about 600 m³ sec^-1, at Jinja (Uganda) on the northern shore, into the Victoria Nile which flows northward via Lake Albert and the White Nile forming the uppermost reaches of the Nile River. It has a water volume of 2,750km³. Lake Victoria is bordered by all the constituencies in the county except Muhoroni.

 

Parks & Reserves

 

Kisumu Impala Sanctuary

 

Branded as the "Lakeshore Walk with the Impalas", this sanctuary is home to the rare Sitatunga Impala, one its main attractions. The 0.4 km sq facility was set up in the early 1970’s by the Kisumu Municipal Council and the Provincial Administration to take care of the impalas that used to roam about in town (Kisumu). It was gazetted as a National Sanctuary in 1992.

 

The rare Sitatunga Impala at the Kisumu Impala Sanctuary

 

The sanctuary is also a refuge to other free ranging animals like monitor lizards, zebra, over 115 variety of birdlife (a photgrapher's delight), and hippo that graze during the night. In the enclosures are lions, leopard, jackal, bush buck, hartebeest, buffalos, Ostrich, hyena, cheetah, tortoises, guinea fowls and parrots in the aviary. It receives growing numbers of visitors currently believed to be about 100,000 per year, and revenues of over Ksh 11 million, up from only 2 million six years ago. It features 3km of nature trails and several picnic sites. (Source: KWS website, retrieved February 2012).

 

Table 7.1 Visitors to Kisumu Impala Sanctuary

 

Year	Visitors	Growth Rate	Comments
1995	3,500
1996	52,100	1,389%
1997	62,400	20%
1998	65,500	5%
1999	77,400	18%
2000	90,400	17%
2001	96,900	7%
2002	117,700	21%
2003	69,600	-41%
2004	63,300	-9%
2005	87,900	39%
2006	84,300	-4%
2007	72,200	-14%
2008	79,800	11%
2009	174,600	119%

Source: OpenData. Retrieved Jan 2012

 

A 24-bed capacity eco-lodge under construction is expected to be ready for occupation in December 2011 and this will bring the non-residents – a target group that has been elusive to the sanctuary. Plans are underway to develop a conference centre and visitor information centre/interpretation centre at an estimated cost of Sh90 million. The Kisumu Impala Sanctuary is managed by the KWS., (Source: KWS). It is in Kisumu Town East Constituency.

 

Ndere Island National Park

 

Branded "The Island of Serenity and Beauty", Ndere Island National park covers an area of 4.2 km2 on an island just off the northern shore of Lake Victoria and was opened in November 1986. Ndere means "meeting place" in the language of the local Luo tribe. According to the Luo folklore, Kit Mikayi, mother of the tribe, rested up near Ndere after her long journey south down the Nile valley. She found the lush shorelines so pleasing that she and her people stayed. . This park is under the management of the Kenya Wildlife Service, KWS is accessible from Kisumu City by road or boat. At Ndere one can pitch camp one of two campsites and take nature and game viewing walks at the well-maintained walking trail. The main attractions here are the fish eagle, impala, Nile Crocodiles and hippo. Ndere is also home to vultures, impala, baboon, Vervet Monkey and the Agama lizard. The papyrus swamps on the lake's shores contain a unique selection of water birds. Ndere Island is an excellent place to experience and enjoy quiet hiking, walking, traditional fishing, boat safaris and picnics. It is in Kisumu Town West Constituency.

 

Hippo Point Kisumu

 

Kisumu's Hippo Point is the place to be when one needs to experience both the perfect view of the beautiful sunset over Lake Victoria and that of hippos lazing in the cool waters. This unique unobstructed view-area, covers 2.4 km² of vantage photography points.

 

Hotels & Restaurants

 

There are many tourist hotels, cottages and lodges spread around the county especially around the parks, lakes and towns catering for conference groups, local and overseas visitors, as well as budget hotels for the light traveller.

more content coming up soon!

 

People and Places

 

Kisumu Impala Conservation Boat Race

 

The 2011 Kisumu Impala Sanctuary Boat Race is flagged off.

 

The inaugural race was held in November 2011 and plans by KWS are in place to make this an annual event. The participants were drawn from neighboring counties around Lake Victoria with winners receiving cash prizes. The boat race was organised by the Kenya Wildlife Service in conjunction with stakeholders to conserve the rare Sitatunga Antelope found in Kisumu Impala Sanctuary by the shores of the lake. KWS, who manage the Sanctuary, plans to raise money to construct a 3-km perimeter wall fence around the sanctuary at an estimated cost of KSh 28 million as well as create public awareness about the plight of the shy Sitatunga and the importance of conserving wetlands and keeping them free of pollution.

 

Kisumu Peace Initiative

 

A well-attended event at the 2011 Inaugural Kisumu Peace Festival at the Jomo Kenyatta Grounds

 

The first Festival of this peace initiative was held in August 2011. The aim of the Festival, which is planned as an annual event, is to bring the people of the area together and to promote Kisumu as a peaceful place. Cultural demonstrations, sport competitions, and workshops and peace talks were held during the event days. The business and faith communities in the area were also in attendance and took part in debated on peace issues and the way forward towards the elections in 2012. There was also a meeting of religious leaders from all faiths in Kisumu who talked about their faiths and again the challenges that lie ahead. Celebrations and music by renowned musicians and groups entertained the more than 20,000 people who attended the event.

 

Art & Culture

 

Some of Kisumu's well-known writers, art and cultural ambassadors include:

 

 

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Towns & Cities

 

In this Page:   7. Towns & Cities

 

<static map to appear here.> size (and relative), population(and relative), date of inception and why, current political and administrative significance, business, communication, transport, tourism numbers, GDP, foklore and nicknames, newspapers,......

 

Kisumu Town

 

Kisumu City is the third biggest town in Kenya after Mombasa and is the proposed headquarters for the county. It is 265 km north-west of Nairobi (and 346km by road), standing at the cusp of the Winam Gulf on Lake Victoria (at geo-location 0.1100 and 34.7000). It lies about 1,131m above sea level. The town owes it existence to the arrival of the Uganda Railway in 1901. It received township status in 1903. The town was elevated to the status of a Municipal Board in 1940 and later to a Municipal Council in 1960. Kisumu Town's population stood at 388,311 (including peri-urban populations) as per the 2009 Census (Source: CRA, OpenData, Retrieved Jan 2012).

 

Table 7.1 Population growth of Kisumu Town

 

Census	Population	Growth Rate
1962
1969	32,431
1979	152,643
1989	192,733
1999	194,390
2009	259,258
2019

 

Awasi Town

Awasi is the second biggest town in Kisumu County with a population of 93,369 (core-urban of 2,488 and 90,881 peri-urban). Awasi, 36km east of Kisumu City is in Nyando Constituency on the road from Kericho.

 

Ahero Town

 

Ahero is the third biggest town in Kisumu County with a population of 8,575 (core urban) and a peri-urban population of 42,155. Ahero, 20km east of Kisumu City, is in Nyando Constituency and is at the intersection of the road from Kisii Town and that from Kericho Town. The town was founded on the River Nyando which flows into Lake Victoria. Ahero is host to Ahero Sub-district Hospital, Ahero Youth Polytechnic,

 

Muhoroni Town

 

Muhoroni's has a core-urban population of 14,806 and a peri-urban population of 19,651 making it the fourth largest town in Kisumu County. It is a railway town on the Nairobi - Kisumu Line between Fort Ternan and Chemelil, and is 50km east of Kisumu City. Muhoroni is in Muhoroni Constituency and is home to Muhoroni Sugar Company and Agro-Chemical & food Company Limited, among others.

 

Chemelil Town

 

Chemelil, in Muhoroni Constituency, is a railway town between Muhoroni Town and Kibigori Stations. It is 40km east of Kisumu City and is home to Chemelil Sugar Factory. Chemelil Town has an urban population of 7,888, making it the fifth biggest town in Kisumu County.

 

Maseno Town

 

Maseno Town grew from the establishment of the Maseno School and the Rock of Ages Church by the Church Missionary Society in 1906. It is also the home of the Maseno University. The town has a core-urban population of 3,301 and a peri-urban population of 1,802 and is thus the sixth biggest town in the County of Kisumu. It is in Kisumu Rural Constituency.

 

<! under history, check the enumerators_manual from knbs

 

 

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References

1. The Jaramogi Foundation. Accessed Jan 2012

2. Musandu P A, (2006). Daughter of Odoro: Grace Onyango and African Women's History. Master's thesis.

3. Open Data website. http://www.opendata.go.ke. Retrieved/accessed at various times.

4. Kenya Wildlife Service website. www.wildlife.go.ke. Retrieved/accessed at various times.

5. National Council for Population and Development NCAPD. Retrieved/accessed at various times.

6. Uwezo. http://www.uwezo.net. Retrieved/accessed at various times.

7. Daily Nation newspaper. Retrieved/accessed at various times.

8. Wikipedia. http://www.wikipedia.org. Retrieved/referenced at various times.

9. Great Lakes University of Kisumu website. http://www.gluk.ac.ke. Retrieved/accessed at various times.

10. Metropolitan Sacco website. http://www.metrosacco.co.ke/History.php. Retrieved/accessed Jan 2012.

11. Ministry of Co-operatives and Marketing website. Retrieved/accessed Jan 2012.

12. African Conservation Center ACC website. http://www.conservationafrica.org. Retrieved/accessed Jan 2012.

13. Kenya Electricity Generation Company KENGEN website. Retrieved/accessed at various times.