Background

Kericho County is cosmopolitan and largely inhabited by Kipsigis sub-tribe of the Kalenjin tribal group. Other notable tribes include Kikuyus, Luos, Somalis, Indians, Luhyas and Kisiis who have enjoyed close relationship with the Kalenjins. Culturally, the Kipsigis people believed in a god called Asis; the Supreme being that created the sky and the earth. Most of the residents of Kericho County are Christians, although there is a significant population of Muslims and Hindus and has its headquarters at Kericho town and endowed with fertile soils and receives adequate rainfall throughout the year hence making it conducive for agricultural activities. The county produces both cash and food crops. Kericho county economy is driven mainly by agriculture with tea being the main cash and Coffee and sugarcane. Other crops include potatoes, maize, beans, pineapples, horticulture (tomatoes, vegetables). Tea is grown in the upper part of the county with Ainamoi, Bureti and Belgut being the main areas while coffee is grown in the lower belt of Kipkelion, Ainamoi, Soin and Roret. Kericho County Gross Domestic Product is estimated to be 170 million in 2022. Poverty is still a challenge in hindering the county from achieving its development objectives. Data shows that poverty rate was 30.3% in 2016. Agriculture, Transport and trade are key sectors contributing towards the total Gross County product (GCP). The county is mainly financed through Equitable Share and donor funds with an average of 1.7% share of equitable transfers.

The county is experiencing a rapid industrialization especially around Soin areas where a number of factories are coming up while others are operational. There is a cement factory (Rai) and Steel factory (Prime steel) both operational and there is a sugar factory coming up, all these located in Soin /Sigowet sub county. The county is a member of Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) composed of 14 counties around Lake Victoria and its environs with an objective of leveraging economies of scale in the region promoting cross county trade.

Position and Size

Kericho County is one of the 47 counties in the Republic of Kenya. It’s located in the South Rift of the Great Rift Valley, about 256kms from Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. Kericho County lies between longitudes 35º 02’ and 35º 40’ and between the Equator and latitude 0023’south with an altitude of about 2002m above the sea level. The county is bordered by the Uasin Gishu County to the North, Baringo County to the North E ast, Nandi County to the North West, Nakuru County to the North East and Bomet County to the South. It is bordered to the West by Nyamira and Homa Bay Counties and to the West by Kisumu County. The county occupies a total area of 2,436 Km2 and is divided into 6 sub-counties, 30 wards, 85 locations and 209 sub locations. The county is well positioned to benefit from various markets provided by the neighboring counties as it has robust national and county roads connecting to the rest of the counties.