Nakuru County

Nakuru County
County
Flamingos at Lake Nakuru

Flag
Coat of arms

Location of Nakuru County in Kenya
Coordinates: 0°30′S 36°0′E / 0.500°S 36.000°E / -0.500; 36.000Coordinates: 0°30′S 36°0′E / 0.500°S 36.000°E / -0.500; 36.000
Country  Kenya
Formed 4 March 2013
Capital and largest town Nakuru
Other towns Naivasha
Government
 • Governor Lee Kinyanjui
Area
 • Total 7,509.5 km2 (2,899.4 sq mi)
Population (2009)
 • Total 1,603,325[1]
Time zone UTC+3 (EAT)
Website nakuru.go.ke

Nakuru County is a county in Kenya. The capital and largest town is Nakuru, although Naivasha is another major significant urban centre. With a population of 1,603,325[1] (2009 census), it is the fourth largest county in Kenya after Nairobi, Kakamega and Kiambu in that order in terms of population. Nakuru County has an area of 2,325.8 km². Until 2013, it formed part of Rift Valley Province.

Sites of Interest

Nakuru County is home to Lake Nakuru, Lake Elmenteita and Lake Naivasha some of the Rift Valley soda lakes. Lake Nakuru is best known for its thousands, sometimes millions of flamingoes nesting along the shores. The surface of the shallow lake is often hardly recognisable due to the continually shifting mass of pink. The number of flamingos on the lake varies with water and food conditions and the best vantage point is from Baboon Cliff. Also of interest, an area of 188 km around the lake fenced off as a sanctuary to protect Rothschild giraffe and black rhinos.

Other sites of interest around Nakuru include Menengai Crater, an extinct volcano 2,490m (8,167 ft) high. The views of the crater itself, as well as the surrounding countryside, are spectacular.

Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site, discovered by the Leakeys in 1926, is considered a major Neolithic and Iron Age site. The adjoining museum features finds from various nearby excavations.

The second largest surviving volcanic crater in the world, the Menengai Crater is 2,242 meters above sea level at its highest point. The crater plunges 483 m down from the rim and the summit is accessible by foot or vehicle 8 km from the main road. The mountain is also surrounded by a nature reserve.

The Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology is a tourist attraction. It is a giant institute established in 1979 by the leaders and people of Rift Valley.

Urban Areas

Surrounding towns include Lanet, which lies approximately 10 km from Nakuru is predominantly a residential town and is home to an army base. Njoro lies 20 km from Nakuru and is a small agricultural town with a local university aimed at promoting agricultural development in Kenya, namely Egerton University (est. 1934).

Urban Centres

TownTypePopulation (2009)Rank in Kenya (Population Size)
NakuruMunicipality307,9904
NaivashaMunicipality169,1429
MoloTown40,65160
GilgilTown35,29369
NjoroTown23,55182
Mai MahiuTown11,230112
SubukiaTown7,309139
DundoriTown5,221166
SalgaaTown4,740174
Mau NarokTown4,357178
BahatiTown3,833184
RongaiTown2,215213
OlenguruoneTown2,119214

* 2009 census. Source:[2]

Nakuru Municipality panorama with Lake Nakuru in the background
Sunset at Lake Naivasha
Dusk at Lake Naivasha
Administrative divisions
Division Population* Urban pop.* Headquarters
Bahati143,7146,018Dundori
Elburgon65,31423,881Elburgon
Gilgil91,92918,805Gilgil
Kamara42,2811,452Mau Summit
Keringet59,863953Keringet
Kuresoi40,9240
Lare27,7270
Mauche15,3910
Mau Narok29,9163,321Mau Narok
Mbogoini59,510228Subukia
Molo31,93517,188Molo
Naivasha158,67936,023Naivasha
Nakuru Municipal231,262212,162Nakuru
Njoro79,12315,635Njoro
Olenguruone32,030509Olenguruone
Rongai77,4412,163Rongai
Total1,187,039338,338-
* 1999 census. Sources:[3][4]

The county has eleven constituencies:

  • Naivasha Constituency represented by Hon. John Kihagi, The National Alliance Party (TNA) a member of Jubilee Coalition
  • Nakuru Town West Constituency represented by Hon. Samuel Arama, The National Alliance Party (TNA) a member of Jubilee Coalition
  • Nakuru Town East Constituency represented by Hon. David Gikaria, The National Alliance Party (TNA) a member of Jubilee Coalition
  • Kuresoi South Constituency Hon. Zakayo Cheruiyot, United Republican Party (URP) a member of Jubilee Coalition
  • Kuresoi North Constituency Hon. Moses Cheboi, United Republican Party (URP) a member of Jubilee Coalition
  • Molo Constituency represented by Hon. Jacob Waweru Macharia, The National Alliance Party (TNA) a member of Jubilee Coalition
  • Rongai Constituency represented by Hon. Raymond Kipruto Moi, Kenya African National Union (KANU), a member of Amani coalition
  • Subukia Constituency represented by Hon. Nelson Gachuiya, The National Alliance Party (TNA), a member of Jubilee Coalition
  • Njoro Constituency represented by Hon. Joseph Nganga Tiuna, The National Alliance Party (TNA), A member of Jubilee Coalition
  • Gilgil Constituency represented by Hon. Nderitu Mathenge, The National Alliance Party (TNA) a member of Jubilee Coalition
  • Bahati Constituency represented by Hon. Onessmus Kimani Ngunjiri, The National Alliance Party (TNA) a member of Jubilee Coalition

Nakuru County was seen as the epicenter of violence in the aftermath of the disputed 2007 Presidential Elections which left over 1,100 people dead and over 350,000 displaced nationwide

Nakuru County Peace Accord

The Nakuru County Peace Accord (or “Rift Valley Peace Accord”) refers to the peace agreement signed on 19 August 2012 between elders of the Agikuyu (see also Kikuyu) and Kalenjin communities as well as other ethnic groups of Kenya.[5]

The agreement was designed to address sources of ethnic conflict and a history of violence in the rift valley region of Kenya.[6] It was signed following a 16 month-long peace process led by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission and the National Steering Committee on Peace Building and Conflict Management

Notable residents

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Kenya Census 2009 - Census - Kenya". Scribd.
  2. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 February 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  3. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 28 September 2007.
  4. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  5. ↑ "Media Breakfast Meeting on Nakuru Peace Accord - Speech by NCIC Chairman, Dr. Mzalendo Kibunjia". National Cohesion and Integration Commission. 7 June 2012. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  6. ↑ Wairimu Nderitu, Alice (2014). From the Nakuru County Peace Accord to Lasting Peace (PDF). Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue.
  7. ↑ KEPSA (18 November 2017). "Carole Kariuki, Chief Executive Officer, Kenya Private Sector Alliance: Short Biography". Nairobi: Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA). Retrieved 18 November 2017.
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