Chwele

Last updated

Chwele
Chwele Town
Chwele
Population
 (2019 census)
9,797

Chwele is a town in Bungoma County, Kenya. The town is an agricultural marketing centre located between Kimilili and Bungoma. The market is the major meeting point for farmers from the surrounding areas of Mount Elgon, Namwela, Sirisia, Lurende, Matibo and Chebukaka especially every Monday when there is a market day (flea market). Large quantities of maize, bananas, local vegetables, sim sim as well as livestock such as chicken, goats, cattle and sheep are available for sale. The market is Kenya's second largest open air market. [1] The urban population was 9,797 (2019 census). [2]

The area is inhabited by the Bukusu people and there is a growing populations of Saboats, Tesos and even Kikuyus. Schools in the area include Chwele Girls High school, Namwela Secondary school, Busakala High school, Teremi High school among others. The area has a health center that caters for the local community and it has both in-patient and out-patient facilities. It nowadays boosts of a medical training institute (Chwele MTC) located at the Junction of Khachonge/Bukembe Road. The center is also home to the Chwele coffee cooperative society and the Chwele grain marketing cereals bank initiated by SACRED Africa, a local NGO operating in the area.

The area has rich black volcanic soils that are suitable for growing many crops with very good yields. The area also receives over 1500mm of rain in a year mostly between the months of March and August.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eldoret</span> City in Kenya

Eldoret is the fifth largest city in Kenya. It is located in Uasin Gishu County,Rift Valley region and serves as the capital of Uasin Gishu County. The town was referred to by white settlers as Farm 64 and colloquially by locals as 'Sisibo'. As per the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census, Eldoret is the fifth most populated urban area in the country after Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru and Ruiru. Lying south of the Cherangani Hills, the local elevation varies from about 2,100 metres (6,900 ft) at the airport to more than 2,700 metres (8,900 ft) in nearby areas. The population was 289,380 in the 2009 Census, and it is currently the fastest growing town in Kenya with 475,716 people according to 2019 National Census. Eldoret was on course to be named Kenya's fourth city, but was edged out by Nakuru in 2021.

Limuru is a town in central Kenya. It is also the name of a parliamentary constituency and an administrative division. The population of the town, as of 2004, was about 4,800. In a census taken in 2019 the population had increased to 159,314.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trans-Nzoia County</span> County of Kenya

Trans-Nzoia County is a county in the former Rift Valley Province, Kenya, located between the Nzoia River and Mount Elgon, 380 km northwest of Nairobi. At its centre is the town of Kitale which is the capital and largest town. The county borders Bungoma to the west, Uasin Gishu and Kakamega to the south, Elgeyo-Marakwet to the east, West Pokot to the north and the republic of Uganda to the Northwest. Trans Nzoia covers an area of 2495.5 square kilometres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central place theory</span> Geographical theory of spatial distribution of cities

Central place theory is an urban geographical theory that seeks to explain the number, size and range of market services in a commercial system or human settlements in a residential system. It was introduced in 1933 to explain the spatial distribution of cities across the landscape. The theory was first analyzed by German geographer Walter Christaller, who asserted that settlements simply functioned as 'central places' providing economic services to surrounding areas. Christaller explained that a large number of small settlements will be situated relatively close to one another for efficiency, and because people don't want to travel far for everyday needs, like getting bread from a bakery. But people would travel further for more expensive and infrequent purchases or specialized goods and services which would be located in larger settlements that are farther apart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Province (Kenya)</span> Province of Kenya

Western Province was one of Kenya's seven administrative provinces outside Nairobi. It is inhabited mainly by the Luhya people. Quakerism is widely practised here. Kenya's second highest mountain, Mount Elgon is located in Bungoma District. The Kakamega Forest rainforest is part of the area. The province capital was Kakamega. After the 2013 general election, and the coming into effect of the new constitution, provinces became defunct and the country is currently divided into 47 counties. Each county has its own government and therefore there is no central regional capital. Western Province became the Western region, comprising four counties: Kakamega, Bungoma, Vihiga, and Busia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bungoma</span> Town in Bungoma County, Kenya

Bungoma is the capital of Bungoma County in Kenya. It was established as a trading centre in the early 20th century. It is located in Kenya's fertile Western region and at the foot of Mount Elgon, Kenya's second-tallest mountain. The town and the surrounding areas boast one of Kenya's highest average rainfalls, making Bungoma one of the nation's most important food baskets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nakuru</span> City in Nakuru County, Kenya

Nakuru is a city in the Rift Valley region of Kenya. It is the capital of Nakuru County, and is the third largest urban area in Kenya. As of 2019, Nakuru has an urban population of 570,674, making it the largest urban centre in the Rift Valley, succeeding Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County. The city lies along the Nairobi–Nakuru Highway, 160 kilometres (99 mi) from Nairobi.

Kimilili is a town and area in Kenya's Bungoma County. The area is occupied mainly by the Bukusu and few Teso communities.It is a trading center for agricultural goods and services. The town has a population of 56,050

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Webuye</span> Place in Kenya

Webuye, previously named Broderick Falls, is an industrial town within Webuye West sub county in Bungoma County, Kenya. Located on the main road to Uganda, the town is home to the Pan African Paper Mills, the largest paper factory in the region, as well as a number of heavy-chemical and sugar manufacturers. The area is heavily populated and is used mainly for subsistence agriculture. The area around Webuye is home to the Bukusu and Tachoni tribes. The town has an urban population of 42,642.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kibera</span> Urban slum in Nairobi, Kenya

Kibera is a division of Nairobi Area, Kenya, and neighbourhood of the city of Nairobi, 6.6 kilometres (4.1 mi) from the city centre. Kibera is the largest slum in Nairobi, and the largest urban slum in Africa. The 2009 Kenya Population and Housing Census reports Kibera's population as 170,070, contrary to previous estimates of one or two million people. Other sources suggest the total Kibera population may be 500,000 to well over 1,000,000 depending on which slums are included in defining Kibera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bungoma County</span> County in Kenya

Bungoma County is a county in the former Western Province of Kenya with its capital in Bungoma town. It has a population of 1,670,570 of which 812,146 are males and 858,389 are females as per the 2019 census and an area of 2,069 km2. It has nine constituencies, namely: Bumula, Kabuchai, Kanduyi, Kimilili, Mt. Elgon, Sirisia, Tongaren, Webuye East and Webuye West.

Mumias is a town in Kakamega County of Kenya. The town has an urban population of 116,358 and is the second largest town in Kakamega County. Mumias was the centre of the Mumias District. The town is linked by road to Kakamega, Busia (west), Bungoma (north), Butere, Luanda, Maseno and Kisumu (south). Two major rivers, River Nzoia and River Lusumu pass close to the town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nyandarua County</span> County in Kenya

Nyandarua County is a County in the former Central Province of Kenya with its capital and largest town being Ol Kalou. Formerly the capital was Nyahururu, which is now part of the Laikipia County. Nyandarua County had a population of 596,268 by 2009 and 638,289 by 2019 and an area of 3,304 km2. The county is located on the northwestern part of the old Central Province, and contains the Aberdare Ranges.

Ugunja town is a market town in western Kenya, located in Ugunja Division, Siaya County. It has a population of approximately 17,000 and is rapidly growing. Ugunja Division had a population of 79,113 according to the 1999 Kenyan census. This population grew to 104,241 people according 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census which was conducted by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS). Most of the inhabitants in Ugunja are Luos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rural health</span> Interdisciplinary study of health and health care delivery in rural environments

In medicine, rural health or rural medicine is the interdisciplinary study of health and health care delivery in rural environments. The concept of rural health incorporates many fields, including wilderness medicine, geography, midwifery, nursing, sociology, economics, and telehealth or telemedicine.

Oyugis is the second-largest town in Homa Bay County in Nyanza Kenya. The town lies along the Kisumu-Kisii highway. It is the commercial and financial centre of Rachuonyo Sub-County in Homa Bay County of the former Nyanza Province.

Eusebius Juma Mukhwana is the past president of the African agricultural NGOs Network based in Ghana. He is also a recipient of the Kenyan head of state commendation (HSC) for his role in assisting farmers to improve their food security and income. He has dedicated much of his life and work to the plight of small scale farmers. Mukhwana is also the founder of the SACRED Africa.

Amici del Mondo World Friends Onlus is an independent Italian non-profit association of social utility for international cooperationWorld Friends is a Non-Governmental Organization recognized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs by Law no. 125 of 2014 updated to July 16, 2016, registered in the register of ONLUS and the Register of Legal Persons D.P.R. 361. Recognized by the Government of Kenya as a Non-governmental organization (NGO), in 2011 obtained the same accreditation at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Established in 2001, the association has its head offices in Rome and has volunteer-based regional offices in Piedmont, Liguria, Lombardy, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Sicily. The association's African office is based in Nairobi.

Ongata Rongai is a town located in Kajiado North, Kajiado County, Kenya. The town is situated 17 km (10.6 mi) south of the Nairobi CBD and East of the Ngong hills and within the greater Nairobi Metropolitan Region. It lies 1,731 meters (5,682 feet) above sea level. According to the 2019 Census, it is the most populous town in Kajiado County and eleventh largest urban centre by population in Kenya.

Jonathan Wasilwa Barasa was a Kenyan chief born in Sirisia, in Bungoma County to Wasilwa and Lumbasi. He went to Bitonge School at the age of seven and later Government African School, present-day Kakamega High School. After primary school he was called to Alliance High School. His lack of school fees drove him to Maseno and to train as a teacher under Carey Francis. He married Ruth Nanjala Murumba in the Quaker Church in Bitonge, and they had ten children. He supported hundreds of children by mentoring them, paying their school fees and taking care of them. Barasa was a staunch Quaker who also respected and promoted the Bukusu culture. He was a member of the East African Yearly Meeting of Friends (Quakers).

References

  1. AGRA Annual Report 2008 Archived 2016-05-01 at the Wayback Machine , p. 21
  2. "Urban Centers in Bungoma (Western Kenya, Kenya) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map, Location, Weather and Web Information". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2024-02-10.