Counties

Gusii Counties Profiles

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KISII COUNTY

Kisii County is located to the south east of Lake Victoria and is bordered by six counties with Narok to the south, Migori to the west, Homa Bay to the north west, Kisumu to the north, Bomet to the south east and Nyamira to the east.

Area (Km 2): 1,317.4 Km 2

Climate/Weather: Kisii County has two rainfall seasons; Short (September – November) and Long (February – June), of over 1,500mm per annum with temperatures ranging from 16 0C to 27 0C.

Road Network: Bitumen Surface 73 Km, Gravel & Earth Surface 409 Km – (Kisii Central District)

POPULATION

Population: 1,152,282 (Male – 48 %, Female – 52%)

Population Density: 874.7 people per Km 2

National Percentage: 2.9 %

Annual Growth Rate: 2.75% (2009)

Age Distribution: 0-14 years (45%), 15-64 years (51.6 %), 65+ years (3.4%)

Number of households: 245,029

GOVERNMENT

County Capital: Kisii Town (proposed)

Number of Constituencies (2010): 7 (Bobasi, Bonchari, Bomachoge, Kitutu Chache, Nyaribari Chache, Nyaribari Masaba, and South Mugirango)

Registered Voters: 364,892

National percentage: 2.9 %

Number of Local Authorities (2010): 11 (Town Councils of Keroka, Suneka, Masimba, Ogembo, Nyamarambe, Nyamache and Tabaka. County Councils of Kisii, Gusii, Gucha and Municipal Councils of Kisii.

ECONOMICS

Poverty Level: 51% of population live below poverty line

Age Dependency Ratio: 100:94

Resources: Soapstone, Arable land

Financial Services: More than 8 commercial banks, over 6 micro-finance Institutions

Main Economic Activities/industries: Subsistence agriculture, vegetable farming, small-scale trade, dairy farming, tea and coffee growing, commercial businesses and soapstone carvings.

Agricultural products: Tea, coffee, bananas, tomatoes, vegetables, dairy products, maize, sugarcane.

EDUCATION

Number of Institutions (2007): Primary (1,101), Secondary (363),

Primary: Total Enrolment (273,111)

Teacher to Pupil Ratio: 1: 41 (Public Schools)

Secondary: Total Enrolment (60,098)

Teacher to Pupil Ratio: 1: 27.7 (Public Schools)

Tertiary: Over 70 (Colleges, Universities and Polytechnics)

Adult Literacy Classes: Total Enrolment (Over 1,600)

HEALTH

Health Facilities: District Hospitals (4), Sub-District Hospitals (9), Dispensaries (80), Health Centres (23), Medical Clinics (12), Nursing Homes (2) Others (6)

Doctor to Population Ratio: 1:34,992

Infant Mortality Rates: 90/1000 (Kisii District)

Under Five Mortality Rates: 109/1000

Prevalent Diseases: Malaria, diarrhoea, pneumonia, URTI infections, HIV/Aids

Notable Hospitals: Gucha and Kisii District Hospitals and Tabaka Mission Hospital.

Prominent People from Kisii County

Simeon Nyachae … aged 80, is an institution in the county’s politics who has built a business empire in Kisii and beyond.

Son of colonial chief Musa Nyandusi, he rose from a District Officer to become one of the most powerful Provincial Commissioners at Independence rising to Chief Secretary before he retired from the Civil Service in 1986.

Known for his no-nonsense approach and willingness to exercise his powers to the full,  when he became Chief Secretary the then Moi government discovered the job had authority in some areas equal to that of a Prime Minister, prompting a change in the Constitution scrapping the post. When he became Minister for Finance, he angered Mr Moi by remarking that the Kenyan economy was in ICU and quit the Cabinet when transferred to a lesser ministry.

Joyce Nyamweya … a former Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President is an international civil servant who was behind the design of performance contracts used to assess the work of civil servants.

Ms Nyamweya comes from a political family; that of the late James Nyamweya who was in the Cabinet after Independence.

Jane Onsongo … an assistant director of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission is an academician who came from the Catholic University to the anti-graft body.

She has a reputation for being meticulous in dealing with corruption issues at Integrity Centre.

Janet Ong’era … executive director of the Orange Democratic Movement has been the power behind the party’s secretariat.
A lawyer, she is one of the few women who play key roles in party politics in Kenya which is dominated by men.

Wilkista Onsando … a former chairwoman of Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organisation is one of theis remembered for having steered the women’s organisation closer to the then ruling party Kanu.

Her tenure at Maendeleo House was eventful during the turbulent period of Kanu rule.

Henry Motego … is one of Kenya’s top soccer players who played for club side Shabana and for Harambee Stars.

Ranked with former greats like Joe Masiga and Wilberforce Mulamba as a winger,  he became the first Kenyan ever to play professional soccer in Oman.

Lawrence Sagini … was the first Cabinet minister from Kisii at Independence, best remembered for helping the Gusii find land in the neighbouring Nyasiongo settlement scheme and far off Trans Nzoia’s former White Highlands. He was chairman of Kanu for many years until he was dethroned by Simeon Nyachae in hotly contested party elections in the mid 90s.

James Nyamweya … was the first African Supervisor of Elections and he became the second minister from Kisii in the Kenyatta Government.

 

NYAMIRA COUNTY

Nyamira County is an administrative county in the former Nyanza Province of Kenya. The County has a male population of 287,048, a female population of  311,204 and a total population of 598,252 (2009 census).

Constituencies in Nyamira County:

  • Kitutu Masaba Constituency
  • North Mugirango Constituency
  • West Mugirango Constituency