West Pokot County | |
---|---|
![]() Location in Kenya | |
Coordinates: 1°14′00″N35°07′00″E / 01.23333°N 035.1167°E | |
Country | ![]() |
Formed | 4 March 2013 |
Capital | Kapenguria |
Government | |
• Governor | Simon Kachapin |
Area | |
• Total | 8,418.2 km2 (3,250.3 sq mi) |
Population (2019) [1] | |
• Total | 621,241 |
• Density | 74/km2 (190/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+3 (EAT) |
Website | westpokot.go.ke |
West Pokot County is a county in Kenya. Its capital and largest town is Kapenguria, its area is approximately 9,169.4 square kilometers and it measures 132 kilometers from north to south. [2]
West Pokot County is bordered to the north by Turkana County, to the east by Baringo County, to the southeast by Elgeyo-Marakwet County, to the south by Trans Nzoia County and to the west by Uganda. According to the 2019 census, the county has a population of 621,241. [1]
The county is home to Tegla Loroupe, one of the most famous Kenyan female runners, and the birthplace of Israeli Olympic marathon runner Lonah Chemtai Salpeter.
Pokot people are the main inhabitants of the county, and there is also a minority community of Sengwer. [3]
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1979 | 158,652 | — |
1989 | 225,449 | +42.1% |
1999 | 308,086 | +36.7% |
2009 | 512,690 | +66.4% |
2019 | 621,241 | +21.2% |
source: [4] |
Religion in West Pokot County [5]
Religion (2019 Census) | Number |
---|---|
Catholicism | 192,787 |
Protestant | 232,950 |
Evangelical Churches | 81,184 |
African instituted Churches | 43,831 |
Orthodox | 2,477 |
Other Christian | 14,202 |
Islam | 2,619 |
Hindu | 26 |
Traditionists | 19,645 |
Other | 9,723 |
No Religion | 18,104 |
Don't Know | 1,213 |
Not Stated | 106 |
Mount Mtelo is located in West Pokot County.
Local authorities (councils) | |||
Authority | Type | Population* | Urban pop.* |
---|---|---|---|
Kapenguria | Municipality | 56,019 | 12,984 |
Chepareria | Town | 8,212 | 901 |
Pokot | County | 243,855 | 0 |
Total | - | 308,086 | 13,885 |
* 1999 census. Source: [6] |
Administrative divisions | |||
Division | Population* | Urban pop.* | Headquarters |
---|---|---|---|
Alale | 29,679 | 0 | |
Chepareria | 68,518 | 900 | Chepareria |
Chesegon | 21,343 | 0 | |
Kacheliba | 20,151 | 0 | |
Kapenguria | 62,746 | 12,438 | Kapenguria |
Kasei | 9,879 | 0 | |
Kongelai | 20,018 | 0 | Kongelai |
Lelan | 32,931 | 0 | |
Sigor | 42,821 | 0 | Sigor |
Total | 308,086 | 13,338 | - |
* 1999 census. Sources [7] [8] |
The West Pokot county economy is principally driven by livestock rearing and agriculture. Large numbers of cattle, sheep and goats are reared, with some of the breeds reared being Sahiwal Zebus, Galla goats and Merino sheep. In Pokot Central and North sub-counties, zebu indicine cattle have long been kept for meat production while in West Pokot and Pokot South sub-counties dairy breeds, primarily Ayrshire and Friesian, are increasingly kept for milk production. [2]
Some of the main crops grown include maize, a staple ingredient grown mainly in West Pokot Sub-County, as well as finger millet, coffee, beans, onions, sweet potatoes, green grams, peas, mangoes, oranges, bananas, potatoes and pyrethrum. [9] The latter two are mainly grown in South Pokot sub-county. Irrigation infrastructure has been developed by the National Irrigation Authority & the Kerio Valley Development Authority in Sigor across the permanent rivers; WeiWei and Muruny putting over 1000 acres in year long crop production without relying on rain.
West Pokot County is known for livestock production with large numbers of cattle, sheep and goats being reared in the county. The sector faces significant challenges of banditry in the form of livestock theft.
In early 2022, the West Pokot government, in partnership with the European Union, established the Nasukuta Export Abattoir in Chepareria ward. The abattoir started at 60 per cent capacity utilization for cattle, sheep and goats, and was anticipated to slaughter 18,720 cattle and 56,160 sheep and goats in its first year. [10]
A clinker plant was constructed by Simba Cement in Sebit to crush limestone from Sebit Hills of West Pokot County and began operating in July 2023. The plant has the capacity to process an estimated 6,000 tonnes of clinker daily (two million tonnes annually) which is crushed in West Pokot then transported to a grinding plant in Eldoret town. [11] [12]
The Turkwel Hydro Power Plant operated by electricity generating company Kengen is situated in West Pokot County. Though the plant produces about 105MW of power which is fed to the national grid, many communities around the power plant and the extensive districts of West Pokot and Turkana do not benefit from this resource.
On 23 November 2019 there was a landslide around 2:30 a.m. in West Pokot County near the border with Uganda that was triggered by heavy rainfall that killed over 52 people. At least 22 other people were missing after this disaster, and over 22,000 people were displaced. [14] [15] [16]
Flooded roads and bridges were swept away after the incident, hindering rescue operations. It is one of the worst natural disasters to hit the area in recorded history. [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24]
Tegla Chepkite Loroupe is a former Kenyan long-distance track and road runner. She is also a global spokeswoman for peace, women's rights and education. Loroupe holds the world records for 25 and 30 kilometers and previously held the world marathon record. She was the first African woman to hold the marathon World Record, which she held from 19 April 1998 until 30 September 2001. She is the three-time World Half-Marathon champion. Loroupe was also the first woman from Africa to win the New York City Marathon, which she has won twice. She has won marathons in London, Rotterdam, Hong Kong, Berlin and Rome.
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 kenya's 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.
Cattle raiding is the act of stealing live cattle, often several or many at once. In Australia, such stealing is often referred to as duffing, and the perpetrator as a duffer. In other areas, especially in Queensland, the practice is known as poddy-dodging with the perpetrator known as a poddy-dodger. In North America, especially in the Wild West cowboy culture, cattle theft is dubbed rustling, while an individual who engages in it is a rustler.
The Pokot people live in West Pokot County and Baringo County in Kenya and in the Pokot District of the eastern Karamoja region in Uganda. They form a section of the Kalenjin ethnic group and speak the Pökoot language, which is broadly similar to the related Marakwet, Nandi, Tuken and other members of the Kalenjin language group.
Kapenguria is a town in Kenya. It is the capital and largest urban center of West Pokot County. The town lies north east of Kitale on the A1 road along Kitale-Lodwar road in north Western Kenya. Kapenguria forms a municipality with a population of 40,751 as per the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census.
Isiolo County is a county in the former Eastern Province of Kenya. Its population was 268,002 according to 2019 census. The capital and largest town in the county is Isiolo. Isiolo County is set to be the first county to be developed as part of the Kenya Vision 2030 program. Other upcoming urban centres are: Garbatulla, Modogashe, Kinna, Merti and Oldonyiro. The county is home to Sakuye and Borana tribes and a significant number of people from Turkana, Samburu, Gabra, Garre and Meru communities.
Bukwo District is a district in the Eastern Region of Uganda. The town of Bukwo is its main political, administrative, and commercial center and the site of the district headquarters.
Recha Julius Murgor is a Kenyan politician. He belongs to the United Democratic Alliance and was elected to represent the Kapenguria Constituency in the National Assembly of Kenya in the 2007 Kenyan parliamentary election, later being elected 3rd Senator for West Pokot County in 2017.
Kapedo is a trading center in the Turkana East sub-county of Turkana County, in Kenya's former Rift Valley Province. It is a 5-hour drive from Nakuru town.
Kacheliba is a small town in Kenya's Rift Valley Province within West Pokot County. It was the original colonial (British) capital of this county, but due to the heat and malaria, the capital was moved upland to the south to Kapenguria, where it remained. The town is the administrative capital for the Kacheliba sub county in West Pokot county.
The Tegla Loroupe Peace Race is an annual 10-kilometre road running event which takes place in November in Kapenguria, West Pokot County, Kenya. First held in 2003, the race was created by Kenyan runner Tegla Loroupe to bring together warriors of rival tribes to reduce conflict in the region. The event features separate 10K races for elite long-distance runners and local warriors. There is also a race for children and a VIP race for politicians and dignitaries. The race raises funds for the Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation, a charitable body focused education, sports and medical issues.
Sub-counties, formerly known as Districts, are the decentralised units through which government of Kenya provides functions and services. At national level, sub-counties take a more administrative function like security, statistical purposes, provision of government services, etc. Even though the sub-counties are divisions of counties, powers to create new national sub-counties lies with the national government. As of 2023, there are 314 sub-counties, compared to 290 constituencies. A deputy county commissioner is appointed by the state to lead each sub-county. The sub-counties are further divided into divisions, locations and sub-locations.
West Pokot District, formerly known as West Suk or Kacheliba District, was an administrative district in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. Its capital town was Kapenguria.
Lonah Korlima Chemtai Salpeter is an Israeli Olympic runner. Born in Kenya, she represents Israel internationally. She won the bronze medal in the marathon at the 2022 World Athletics Championships. At the European Athletics Championships in the 10,000 metres, Salpeter won the gold medal in 2018, and earned a bronze medal in 2022. She won the 2020 Tokyo Marathon, won the silver medal at the 2022 New York City Marathon, and finished third at the 2023 Boston Marathon.
Pokot South Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of the four constituencies in West Pokot County. The constituency was established under the 2013 General Elections. The Current Member of Parliament for Pokot South Constituency is Hon. David Pkosing Losiakou who was elected on a Jubilee Party ticket. The Pokot South Constituency borders Sigor Constituency to the East, Kapenguria Constituency to the North and West, and Elgeyo-Marakwet County to the South.
John Krop Lonyang'apuo is a Kenyan politician. He was the former Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Industrialization (2008–2010), under the Leadership of President Mwai Kibaki. He is an active member and party leader of Kenya Union Party at the National Level. He served as the governor of West Pokot county from 2017 to 2022 after serving as the Senator from 2013 to 2017.
Simon Kachapin is a Kenyan politician. He was the 1st governor of West Pokot County in Kenya. Kachapin is a member of the United Democratic Alliance. He was elected into office in 2013 during the Kenya general elections.
The women's marathon was one of the road events at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar. Due to the heat in Doha, the race was scheduled to begin at 23:59 on 27 September 2019, which made it the first midnight marathon in the history of the World Championships. Even with the unusual timing, the temperature was above 30 °C (86 °F) and the humidity over 70 per cent, making conditions difficult for running. Only 40 of the 68 entrants finished the race, which was won by Ruth Chepng'etich of Kenya in 2:32.43; the slowest winning time at the World Championships. Bahrain's Rose Chelimo was second in 2:33.46, with Helalia Johannes of Namibia third in 2:34.15.
On 23 November 2019, a landslide in Pokot, Northwest Kenya was triggered by heavy rainfall and killed at least 52 people. The landslide began around 2:30 a.m. on 23 November in West Pokot County near the border with Uganda. Flooded roads and bridges were swept away after the incident, hindering rescue operations. It is one of the worst natural disasters to hit the area in recorded history.