Nakuru County

Not to be confused with Nakuru.

Nakuru County
County
Flamingos at Lake Nakuru
Location of Nakuru County in Kenya
Coordinates:
Country	Kenya
Formed	4 March 2013
Capital and largest town	Nakuru
Other towns	Naivasha
Government
• Governor	Kinuthia Mbugua
Area
• Total	7,509.5 km2 (2,899.4 sq mi)
Population (2009)
• Total	1,603,325
Time zone	EAT (UTC+3)
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 (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.

Sites of Interest

Nakuru County is home to Lake Nakuru 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 flamingoes 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.

RVIST is a tourist attraction.

Surrounding Towns and Education

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

Town	Type	Population (2009)	Rank in Kenya (Population Size)
Nakuru	Municipality	307,990	4
Naivasha	Municipality	169,142	9
Molo	Town	40,651	60
Gilgil	Town	35,293	69
Njoro	Town	23,551	82
Mai Mahiu	Town	11,230	112
Subukia	Town	7,309	139
Dundori	Town	5,221	166
Salgaa	Town	4,740	174
Mau Narok	Town	4,357	178
Bahati	Town	3,833	184
Rongai	Town	2,215	213
Olenguruone	Town	2,119	214

* 2009 census. Source:

Nakuru Municipality panorama with Lake Nakuru in the background

Sunset at Lake Naivasha

Dusk at Lake Naivasha

Administrative divisions

Division	Population*	Urban pop.*	Headquarters
Bahati	143,714	6,018	Dundori
Elburgon	65,314	23,881	Elburgon
Gilgil	91,929	18,805	Gilgil
Kamara	42,281	1,452	Mau Summit
Keringet	59,863	953	Keringet
Kuresoi	40,924	0
Lare	27,727	0
Mauche	15,391	0
Mau Narok	29,916	3,321	Mau Narok
Mbogoini	59,510	228	Subukia
Molo	31,935	17,188	Molo
Naivasha	158,679	36,023	Naivasha
Nakuru Municipal	231,262	212,162	Nakuru
Njoro	79,123	15,635	Njoro
Olenguruone	32,030	509	Olenguruone
Rongai	77,441	2,163	Rongai
Total	1,187,039	338,338	-
* 1999 census. Sources:

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, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) a member of Cord 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

History

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.

The agreement was designed to address sources of ethnic conflict and a history of violence in the rift valley region of Kenya. 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.

See also

• Narok County
• Kajiado County
• Baringo County
• Laikipia County
• Kericho County
• Bomet County
• Nyandarua County
• Kiambu County

External links

• Nakuru County Directory Kenya
• Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs – Kenya AdminLevels 1-4