Kericho County

{{about|one of the 47 counties in Kenya|the town|Kericho}} {{Use British English|date=May 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}

{{Infobox settlement | official_name = Kericho County | settlement_type = County | image_skyline = Tea farming in Kericho 26.JPG | image_caption = | image_flag = Flag of Kericho County.gif | image_blank_emblem = | image_shield = Kericho County Court of Arms.png | image_map = Kericho County in Kenya.svg | map_caption = Location in Kenya | coordinates = {{coord|-0.4|35.3|region:KE|display=inline,title}} | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{flag|Kenya}} | established_title = Formed | established_date = 4 March 2013 | seat_type = Capital | seat = Kericho | leader_title = Governor | leader_name = Dr. Erick Mutai Equalizer | area_total_km2 = 2,454.5 | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | elevation_m = | population_total = 901,777<ref name="scribd">{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/36672705/Kenya-Census-2009|title=Kenya Census 2009|via=Scribd|access-date=15 May 2016}}</ref> | population_as_of = 2019 | population_density_km2 = auto | timezone = EAT | utc_offset = +3 | website = {{URL|http://kericho.go.ke/}} | footnotes = }} '''Kericho County''' is one of the 47 counties in Kenya. The county seats between longitude 35°02' and 35°40' East and between the equator and latitude 0°23' South with an altitude of about 2002m above sea level. It borders Uasin Gishu County (Eldoret County) to the North, Baringo County to the North-East, Nandi County to the North-West, Nakuru County to the East and Bomet County to the South, Kisumu County to the Northwest and Nyamira County to the West. It had a population of 901,777 (2019 census) and an area of 2,111 km².<ref name="statoids">{{cite web|url=http://www.statoids.com/yke.html|title=Kenya Districts|publisher=statoids.com|access-date=15 May 2016}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Second Generation County Integrated Development Plan CIDP 2018-2022 Kericho County|url=https://www.cog.go.ke/cog-reports/category/106-county-integrated-development-plans-2018-2022|website=Council of Governors|access-date=28 May 2020|archive-date=26 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126045104/https://www.cog.go.ke/cog-reports/category/106-county-integrated-development-plans-2018-2022|url-status=dead}}</ref> Its capital and largest town is Kericho.

Kericho is the leading tea-producing region in the country, widely recognized as Kenya`s "tea capital" and ancestral heartland of the Kipsigis sub-tribe of the Kalenjin tribal group indigenous to the region. Situated in the highlands west of the Rift Valley, the county is home to some of the largest and most productive tea estates in Africa. It is also home to the popular Ketepa brand, one of the major local tea companies based in the region.

The defunct Buret District is now part of Kericho County.

== Physical and topical features == County slopes gently from 2500m to about 1,800m above the sea level. The county is surrounded by a number of hills such as Tinderet Hills to the North, Mau Escarpment and Londiani hills (Tuluap-Kipsigis). A good number of rivers emanate from the county including Chemosit, Kiptaret, Kipsonoi, Timbilil, Maramara, Itare, Nyando, Kipchorian and Malaget.<ref name=":0" />

== Climatic conditions == County has a temperature range between 10C - 29C and rainfall of 2,125mm p.a being highest in central part of county where they plant tea and 1,400 mm p.a. in lower parts of Soin and parts of Kipkelion. County has rainy seasons April to June and October to December.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://www.cog.go.ke/cog-reports/category/106-county-integrated-development-plans-2018-2022|title=Second Generation County Integrated Development Plan CIDP 2018-2022 Kericho County|publisher=County Government of Kericho|year=2018|pages=3|archive-date=26 January 2022|access-date=28 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126045104/https://www.cog.go.ke/cog-reports/category/106-county-integrated-development-plans-2018-2022|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Demographics == According to the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census, Kericho County had a total population of 901,777 of which 450,741 are males, 451,008 females and 28 intersex persons. There are 206,036 household with an average household size of 4.4 persons per household and a population density 370 people per square kilometre.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Results|url=https://www.knbs.or.ke/?p=5621|last=Munene|first=Evans|date=2019-11-04|website=Kenya National Bureau of Statistics|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-28}}</ref>

The total population of Kericho is estimated to have grown significantly. Official projections from the '''Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS)'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wayback Machine |url=https://www.knbs.or.ke/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/2019-Kenya-population-and-Housing-Census-Summary-Report-on-Kenyas-Population-Projections.pdf |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251227164229/https://www.knbs.or.ke/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/2019-Kenya-population-and-Housing-Census-Summary-Report-on-Kenyas-Population-Projections.pdf |archive-date=2025-12-27 |access-date=2026-01-23 |website=www.knbs.or.ke}}</ref> suggest that the county's population will reach approximately 1.2M by 2030-40, with a 2026 estimate of roughly one million people. {| class="wikitable" |+Distribution of Population by Sex and Sub-County !Sub-County !Male !Female !Intersex !Total |- |Belgut |72,508 |72,564 | |145,072 |- |Buret |98,823 |100,642 |5 |199,470 |- |Kericho East |86,671 |83,947 |7 |170,625 |- |Kipkelion |61,066 |61,460 |4 |122,530 |- |Londiani |68,570 |69,000 |10 |137,580 |- |Soin Sigowet |63,31036 |63,395 |2 |126,500 |- |'''Total''' |'''450,741''' |'''451,008''' |'''28''' |'''901,777''' |} Source<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.knbs.or.ke/?page_id=3142|title=2019 Kenya Population and House Census: Population by County and Sub-county. Volume 1|publisher=Kenya National Bureau of Statistics|year=2019|isbn=9789966102096|pages=17, 19, 20, 28, 37, 46}}</ref>

===Religion=== Religion in Kericho County <ref name=Census2019>{{cite web |url=https://housingfinanceafrica.org/app/uploads/VOLUME-IV-KPHC-2019.pdf |title=2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Volume IV: Distribution of Population by Socio-Economic Characteristics |access-date=2 May 2021 |website=Kenya National Bureau of Statistics| df=dmy }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" |- ! style="width:100px;"|Religion (2019 Census) ! style="width:80px;"|Number |- |Catholicism||99,191 |- |Protestant ||396,003 |- |Evangelical Churches ||262,307 |- |African instituted Churches ||55,903 |- |Orthodox||2,949 |- |Other Christian||38,915 |- |Islam||2,423 |- |Hindu ||461 |- |Traditionists||1,358 |- |Other||11,322 |- |No ReligionAtheists||25,030 |- |Don't Know||838 |- |Not Stated||163 |- |}

== Administrative and political units ==

=== Administrative units === There are six sub counties, thirty county assembly wards, eighty five locations and two hundred and nine sub-locations.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government|url=https://www.interior.go.ke/|last=interior_admin|website=interior.go.ke|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-28|archive-date=2 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502201517/https://www.interior.go.ke/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==== Electoral constituencies ==== The county has six constituencies: *Ainamoi Constituency *Belgut Constituency *Bureti Constituency *Kipkelion East Constituency *Kipkelion West Constituency *Sigowet–Soin Constituency Source<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|title=The Report of the Interim Independent Boundaries Review Commission (IIBRC): Delimitation of Constituencies and Recommendations on Local Authority Electoral Units and Administrative Boundaries for Districts and Other Units|url=https://www.iebc.or.ke/uploads/resources/oep20PEuYn.pdf|date=2010|website=IIBRC|access-date=28 May 2020}}</ref>

=== Political leadership === {| class="wikitable" |+ !No !Portrait !Governor's Name !Elected !Term of Office !Political Party !Deputy Governor |- !1 ! !Paul Chepkwony !2013-2022 !10 years !TBA !Lily Kirui<ref name=":5" /> |- !2 ! !Eric Mutai<ref name=":4" /> !2022-2026 !Incumbent !TBA !Fred Kirui<ref name=":3" /> |} Prof. Paul Kiprono Chepkwony was the Governor serving his last term in office after being elected twice [https://cog.go.ke/39-main-menu/13-governors 2013] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727070121/https://cog.go.ke/39-main-menu/13-governors |date=27 July 2020 }}, [https://www.cog.go.ke/the-council/governors-photos 2017] and his deputy is Lily Kirui.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|title=Governors & Deputy Governors|url=https://cog.go.ke/39-main-menu/13-governors|website=cog.go.ke|access-date=2020-05-28|archive-date=27 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727070121/https://cog.go.ke/39-main-menu/13-governors|url-status=dead}}</ref> Sen. Aaron Cheruiyot (Kiptoiyot) Aaron Cheruiyot is the Senator and was elected in 2015 after the first senator Charles Keter was appointed as the [https://energy.go.ke/?page_id=675 cabinet secretary for Ministry of Energy] by President Uhuru Kenyatta.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Members of the Senate {{!}} The Kenyan Parliament Website|url=http://www.parliament.go.ke/the-senate/senators|website=www.parliament.go.ke|access-date=2020-05-28}}</ref> He was also re-elected in 2017. Florence Bore is the women representative and was elected in 2017 after winning against the [https://info.mzalendo.com/person/hellen-chelangat-chepkwony/ Hellen Chelangat Chepkwony] who was the first women representative for the county.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Women Representatives {{!}} KEWOPA KENYA|url=http://www.kewopa.org/?page_id=965|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-28}}</ref>

For Kericho County, the County Executive Committee comprises:- {| class="wikitable" |+County Executive Committee ! !Number |- |The Governor |1 |- |The Deputy Governor |1 |- |The County Secretary |1 |- |The CEC Members |10 |- |'''Total''' |'''13''' |} Source<ref>{{Cite web|title=179. County executive committees - Kenya Law Reform Commission (KLRC)|url=http://www.klrc.go.ke/index.php/constitution-of-kenya/140-chapter-eleven-devolved-government/part-2-county-governments/348-179-county-executive-committees|website=www.klrc.go.ke|access-date=2020-05-28|archive-date=25 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925195745/http://www.klrc.go.ke/index.php/constitution-of-kenya/140-chapter-eleven-devolved-government/part-2-county-governments/348-179-county-executive-committees|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==== Members of Parliament in Kericho County 2017-2022 ====

# Hon. Maritim, Sylvanus<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sylvanus Maritim|url=https://info.mzalendo.com/person/sylvanus-maritim/|website=Mzalendo|language=en|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref> of Jubliee Party Member of Parliament Ainamoi Constituency.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hon. Maritim, Sylvanus {{!}} The Kenyan Parliament Website|url=http://parliament.go.ke/node/3332|website=parliament.go.ke|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref> # Hon. Koech, Nelson<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nelson Koech|url=https://info.mzalendo.com/person/nelson-koech-2/|website=Mzalendo|language=en|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref> of Jubliee PartyMember of Parliament Belgut Constituency.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hon. Koech, Nelson {{!}} The Kenyan Parliament Website|url=http://www.parliament.go.ke/node/3298|website=www.parliament.go.ke|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref> # Hon. Mutai, Japheth Kiplangat<ref>{{Cite web|title=Japheth Kiplangat Mutai|url=https://info.mzalendo.com/person/japheth-kiplangat-mutai/|website=Mzalendo|language=en|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref> of Jubliee Party Member of Parliament Bureti Constituency.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hon. Mutai, Japheth Kiplangat {{!}} The Kenyan Parliament Website|url=http://www.parliament.go.ke/node/3377|website=www.parliament.go.ke|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref> # Hon. Limo, Kirui Joseph<ref>{{Cite web|title=Joseph Kirui Limo|url=https://info.mzalendo.com/person/joseph-kirui-limo/|website=Mzalendo|language=en|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref> of Jubliee Party Member of Parliament Kipkelion East Constituency.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hon. Limo, Kirui Joseph {{!}} The Kenyan Parliament Website|url=http://www.parliament.go.ke/node/3320|website=www.parliament.go.ke|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref> # Hon. Kosgei, Hilary Kiplang’at<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hilary Kiplang'at Kosgei|url=https://info.mzalendo.com/person/hilary-kiplangat-kosgei/|website=Mzalendo|language=en|access-date=2020-05-30|archive-date=18 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191118191753/http://info.mzalendo.com/person/hilary-kiplangat-kosgei/|url-status=dead}}</ref> of Jubliee Party Member of Parliament Kipkelion West Constituency<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hon. Kosgei, Hilary Kiplang'at {{!}} The Kenyan Parliament Website|url=http://www.parliament.go.ke/index.php/node/3306|website=www.parliament.go.ke|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref> # Hon. Koros, Benard Kipsengeret<ref>{{Cite web|title=Benard Kipsengeret Koros|url=https://info.mzalendo.com/person/benard-kipsengeret-koros/|website=Mzalendo|language=en|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref> of Jubliee Party Member of Parliament Sigowet–Soin Constituency.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hon. Koros, Benard Kipsengeret {{!}} The Kenyan Parliament Website|url=http://www.parliament.go.ke/node/3305|website=www.parliament.go.ke|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref>

== Economy == The county is part of the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) established in 2018 to foster regional economic, industrial, social, and technological collaboration.<ref>{{Cite news |date=24 August 2018 |title=The Kisumu County Lake Region Economic Bloc Bill, 2018 |url=https://kisumuassembly.go.ke/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/The_Kisumu_County_Lake_Region_Economic_Bloc_Bill_2018.pdf |access-date=4 April 2026 |work=Kenya Gazette Supplement}}</ref>

The county hosts 25 trading centres, 5,813 registered businesses, 5807 licensed retail traders and 5,740 licensed wholesale traders.<ref name=":2" /> In 2022, the county produced 432 million kilos of tea.<ref name="NI">{{cite news |title=Justice from the King? |url=https://newint.org/features/2023/10/30/justice-king |work=New Internationalist |date=30 October 2023}}</ref> The acquisition of these lands has long been controversial, particularly as it relates to the eviction of Kipsigis and Talai people from their land by British forces when Kenya was a British colony. The United Nations has criticised the British government for not providing "effective remedies and reparation" for colonial-era crimes,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Parveen |first1=Nazia |title=UN criticises UK for failure to redress colonial-era landgrab in Kenya |url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/aug/03/un-criticises-uk-for-failure-to-redress-colonial-era-land-grab-in-kenya |access-date=2 January 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=3 August 2021}}</ref> with representatives for these communities attempting to sue the British government through the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).<ref>{{cite news |title=Kenyans seek to sue UK for alleged colonial abuses |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-62645058 |work=BBC News |date=23 August 2022}}</ref>

There are a number of industries in Kericho such as cement industry (Rai Cement Limited) and steel industry (Prime Steel Limited), Soin Sugar Company all three of them located in Soin ward, 18 tea processing factories, in various sub-counties, dairy processing plants in various sub-counties and Kipkelion District coffee union process coffee in Fort Ternan, Kipkelion Sub-county.<ref name=":0" /> The use of tea plucking machines has been controversial in the area, leading to acts of industrial sabotage by disaffected youths.<ref>{{cite news |title=Chaos as Kericho residents torch tea plucking machines |url=https://nation.africa/kenya/news/chaos-as-kericho-residents-torch-tea-plucking-machines-4243606 |work=Nation |date=23 May 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

== Education == There are 1,222 ECD centres, 1,059 primary schools, and 494 secondary schools. The county has also teachers training colleges, 43 Youth Polytechnics, 80 adult training institutions and 11 technical training institutions.<ref name=":1" /> {| class="wikitable" |+Education Institutions in County !Category !Public !Private !Total !Enrolment |- |ECD Centres |695 |527 |1,222 |92,528 |- |Primary schools |681 |378 |1,059 |371,844 |- |Secondary schools |451 |43 |494 |89,184 |- |Youth Polytechnics |34 |9 |43 |12,619 |- |Technical Training Institutes |6 |5 |11 |9,511 |- |Adult Education Centres | colspan="3" |80 |13,397 |} Source<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-15 |title=Education office begins search for E graders in Kericho to join colleges – Kenya News Agency |url=https://www.kenyanews.go.ke/education-office-begins-search-for-e-graders-in-kericho-to-join-colleges/ |access-date=2026-01-23 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=EDUCATION, SOCIAL SERVICES, YOUTH AND CULTURE {{!}} KERICHO COUNTY|url=https://www.kericho.go.ke/education-social-services-youth-and-culture|website=www.kericho.go.ke|access-date=2020-05-28|archive-date=20 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200620170755/https://kericho.go.ke/education-social-services-youth-and-culture|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Kericho County Statistical Abstract 2015|url=https://www.knbs.or.ke/?page_id=3142|date=2015|website=Kenya National Bureau of Statistics|access-date=28 May 2020}}</ref>

== Health == Kericho County has a total of 435 operational health facilities. This total includes public, private, and faith-based providers that have been integrated into the national Social Health Authority (SHA) framework for service delivery. The county has achieved an immunization coverage of 90% for essential vaccines like the third dose of the pentavalent vaccine. In July 2025, Kericho rolled out a massive 10-day integrated campaign<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-07-07 |title=Ministry of Health Launches 10-Day National Typhoid and Measles-Rubella Vaccination Campaign |url=https://healthbusiness.co.ke/9160/kenya-announces-typhoid-and-measles-rubella-10-day-national-vaccination-campaign/ |access-date=2026-01-23 |website=Health Business |language=en-US}}</ref> targeting '''95% coverage''' for measles, rubella, and typhoid to close the immunity gaps that widened during the COVID-19 pandemic. {| class="wikitable" |+Health Facilities by Ownership ! !Government !*FBO !Private !NGO !TOTAL |- |Hospitals |7 |2 |5 | |14 |- |Health centres |136 |8 |2 |36 |181 |- |Dispensaries/Clinics |148 |11 |76 |5 |240 |} Source<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-08 |title=Health Facilities in Kericho County. – Labflow Kenya |url=https://labflow.org/health-facilities-in-kericho-county/ |access-date=2026-01-23 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Health Services {{!}} Kericho County|url=https://www.kericho.go.ke/health-services|website=www.kericho.go.ke|access-date=2020-05-28|archive-date=28 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528001953/http://kericho.go.ke/health-services|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

== Transport and communication == The county is covered by 1,110.7 km of road network. of this 411.1 km is covered by earth surface, 484.7 km is murram surface and 214.9 km is covered by bitumen.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kenya Rural Roads Authority|url=https://www.kerra.go.ke/|website=www.kerra.go.ke|access-date=2020-05-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Kenya Urban Roads Authority|url=https://kura.go.ke/|website=kura.go.ke|access-date=2020-05-28}}</ref>

There are 8 Post Offices with 2,299 installed letter boxes, 2,079 rented letter boxes and 220 vacant letter boxes.<ref name=":2" />

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == * [https://www.kericho.go.ke/ Official website] * [https://www.knbs.or.ke KNBS] * [https://cog.go.ke COG] * [http://www.parliament.go.ke/the-senate/senators Senators] * [http://www.kewopa.org KEWOPA] * [https://kura.go.ke/ KURA] * [https://www.iebc.or.ke IEBC] * [http://www.klrc.go.ke KIRC] * [https://www.kerra.go.k KERRA]{{Dead link|date=December 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }} * [https://nacc.or.ke NACC]

Category:Kericho County Category:Counties of Kenya