West Pokot County

West Pokot County is a county of Kenya. Its capital and largest town is Kapenguria. The county covers an area of approximately 9,169.4 square kilometers and stretches a distance of 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.

West Pokot County
County
Flag of West Pokot County
Flag
Coat of arms of West Pokot County
Coat of arms
Location in Kenya
Location in Kenya
Coordinates: 01.23333°N 035.1167°E / 01.23333; 035.1167
Country Kenya
Formed4 March 2013
CapitalKapenguria
Government
 • GovernorSimon Kachapin
Area
 • Total8,418.2 km2 (3,250.3 sq mi)
Population
 (2019)[1]
 • Total621,241
 • Density74/km2 (190/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+3 (EAT)
Websitewestpokot.go.ke

Etymology

Demographics

Pokot people are the main inhabitants of the county and there is also a minority community of Sengwer.[3]

Historical population
YearPop.±%
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

Religion in West Pokot County [5]

Religion (2019 Census) Number
Catholicismy192,787
Protestant232,950
Evangelical Churches81.184
African instituted Churches43,831
Orthodox2,477
Other Cristian14,202
Islam2,619
Hindu26
Traditionists19,645
Other9,723
No ReligionAtheists18.104
Don't Know1,213
Not Stated106

Geography

Mount Mtelo is located in West Pokot County.

Constituencies
  1. Kapenguria Constituency
  2. Kacheliba Constituency
  3. Pokot South Constituency
  4. Sigor Constituency

County subdivisions
Local authorities (councils)
Authority Type Population* Urban pop.*
KapenguriaMunicipality56,01912,984
ChepareriaTown8,212901
PokotCounty243,8550
Total-308,08613,885
* 1999 census. Source:[6]
Administrative divisions
Division Population* Urban pop.* Headquarters
Alale29,6790
Chepareria68,518900Chepareria
Chesegon21,3430
Kacheliba20,1510
Kapenguria62,74612,438Kapenguria
Kasei9,8790
Kongelai20,0180Kongelai
Lelan32,9310
Sigor42,8210Sigor
Total308,08613,338-
* 1999 census. Sources[7][8]

The district has four constituencies:

Economy

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.

Livestock

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]

Mining

A clinker plant constructed by Simba Cement in Sebit to crush limestone from Sebit Hills of West Pokot County is set to open in July 2023. The plant will have the capacity to process an estimated 6,000 tonnes of clinker daily (two million tonnes annually) which will be crushed in West Pokot then transported to a grinding plant in Eldoret town.[11][12]

Sport
Lonah Chemtai

Infrastructure

Energy

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.

Notable residents
  • Tegla Loroupe, A world record holder for 20, 25 and 30 kilometres long distance track running[13]
  • Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, Kenyan-Israeli Olympic marathon runner
  • Simon Kachapin, 1st and 3rd Governor of West Pokot County
  • John Lonyangapuo, 1st Senator and 2nd Governor of West Pokot County

2019 Landslide

On the 23rd of November 2019 there was a landslide that has killed over 52 people. At least 22 other people are missing after this disaster, over 22,000 people have been displaced after this disaster.[14]

[15][16]

References
  1. "2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Volume I: Population by County and Sub-County". Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  2. County Government. "West Pokot County Information". westpokot.go.ke. County Government of West Pokot. Archived from the original on 26 September 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  3. "West Pokot County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP 2018-2022)". Maarifa. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  4. Kenya: Administrative Division population statistics
  5. "2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Volume IV: Distribution of Population by Socio-Economic Characteristics" (PDF). Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  6. "The National Treasury" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 28 December 2006.
  7. http://www.cck.go.ke/html/final_annex1_cover_status.pdf
  8. https://web.archive.org/web/20060716004416/http://www.ilri.cgiar.org/html/Urban%20Poverty%20all%20Kenya%20Province%20through%20Location%20Final.xls. Archived from the original on 16 July 2006. Retrieved 28 December 2006. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. https://www.the-star.co.ke/authors/maryannchai. "West Pokot revives cash crop farming". The Star. Retrieved 7 June 2023. {{cite web}}: External link in |last= (help)
  10. Chai, Maryann (4 April 2022). "Nasukuta abattoir to slaughter 18,720 cattle, 56,160 sheep and goats annually". The Star. West Pokot. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  11. Andae, Gerald (27 February 2023). "Simba Cement Pokot plant opens in August". Business Daily. Nairobi. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  12. Bii, Barnabas (5 April 2023). "Clinker plant gives West Pokot economic hope". Business Daily. Nairobi. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  13. "Biography Tegla Loroupe |".
  14. "Death toll from landslides hits 52 - VIDEO", Nation, retrieved 3 December 2019
  15. Muraya, Joseph (20 April 2020). "4,000 displaced by West Pokot mudslides that killed 4 » Capital News". Capital News. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  16. "Houses destroyed as fresh landslides hit West Pokot - Kenya". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
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