Menu
Menu
Trans-Nzoia County is a county in the former Rift Valley Province, Kenya, located between the Nzoia River and Mount Elgon, 380 km northwest of Nairobi. At its centre is the town of Kitale which is the capital and largest town. The county borders Bungoma to the west, Uasin Gishu and Kakamega to the south, Elgeyo-Marakwet to the east, West Pokot to the north and the republic of Uganda to the Northwest. The county is largely agricultural with both large scale and small scale maize and dairy farming. The county is referred to as the basket of Kenya for its role in food production in the country.
Trans Nzoia County is one of the forty seven counties in Kenya that is ranked 37th in terms of size .The County has its headquarters in Kitale town. The County lies approximately between latitudes 00° 52´ and 10° 18´ north of the equator and longitudes 340° 38´ and 350° 23´ east of the Great Meridian. The County covers an area of 2,495.6 square kilometres. The county is nestled between the Nzoia River and Mount Elgon, with the Cherangany Hills also playing a prominent role in shaping its geography.
Located between Mt. Elgon and Cherangany Hills, Kitale is the largest town and Trans Nzoia’s administrative capital. Mainly an agricultural town, Kitale has recently shown a lot of economic potential, with agribusiness, real estate and commercial businesses booming the most. The town is home to over 220,000 people and as the last stop of the Kenya railway line, it is an important center for movement of goods in the North Rift. It has popular banks, restaurants and supermarkets. Palm Restaurant, Tilja and the rooftop restaurant at Kittony Heights are the most recent hangout joints in Kitale town.
Kiminini is a small yet busy town located some 22 kilometers along Kitale Webuye road. It is a significant agricultural center. St. Brigids National Girls High School is located at this town.
Maili Saba means “seven miles” in Swahili. It is located along Kitale-Kapenguria road.
Situated at the foot of Mt. Elgon, some 17 kilometers North Western side of Kitale town, Endebess is an important agricultural town, which also serves as a local administrative and commercial center for Kwanza sub county.
Kachibora is situated at the junction of Kitale-Ziwa-Eldoret road/Kitale-Kapcherop-Kapsowar road, about 30 kilometres from Kitale town. Kachibora is a fast growing agricultural town. It is the administrative headquarters of the Trans Nzoia East sub county.
Trans Nzoia County’s arable land makes agriculture the top economic activity, where maize farming is widely practised, and mostly at a commercial level. Tea, coffee, horticulture and commercial businesses are also very significant to the county’s economy. There’s dairy farming and booming tourism – owing to an array of touring sites and touristic activities within the county. A number of companies such as Kenya Seed company, Elgon Tea Factory, Western Seed Company, K.C.C and various government institutions provide employment to many people living in the urban centers.
Agriculture: Trans-Nzoia County’s economy is predominantly agricultural. Maize farming is widely practiced, both at the commercial and small-scale levels, earning the county the nickname “the basket of Kenya.” Other agricultural activities include tea, coffee, horticulture, and dairy farming.
Companies and Industries: The county hosts notable companies such as the Kenya Seed Company, Elgon Tea Factory, Western Seed Company, and Kenya Cooperative Creameries (K.C.C.).
There are about 78 health institutions in Trans Nzoia County – 1 County Referral Hospital, 4 Sub- County Hospitals and 33 Dispensaries. The county has 7 health centers, 28 medical clinics and about 6 nursing homes. Among the notable health facilities include Kijana Wamalwa Memorial Hospital, Kapsara sub-county Hospital, Cherangani Sub-county Hospital, Endebess Sub-county Hospital, Mt.Elgon private hospital and Cherangani Nursing Home.
The county has a significant number of educational institutions, including over 470 primary schools and 120 secondary schools. The elite primary school in the county is Titan Academy in Matisi which features the newest technology and champions “Premier Education for the Next Generation”. Some of the prominent secondary schools include St. Brigids Girls, St. Monica, St. Joseph’s Boys, Kitale School, St. Joseph’s Girls, St Anthony Boys Hgh (Kitale Day),Kipkeikei boys and Boma Secondary schools. Trans Nzoia has over 20 tertiary institutions, including a university campus, a nursing training college, a teachers’ training college, farmers training institute, youth polytechnic and a number of commercial colleges.
Trans-Nzoia County has been home to influential figures such as H.E George Natembeya (former Regional Commissioner and current Governor), Michael Kijana Wamalwa (former Vice President), Masinde Muliro (a central figure in Kenyan politics), Joseph Magutt (former Kenya envoy to Germany), Milcah Chemos (reigning Commonwealth Games champion), and Wesley Korir (former Cherangany Member of Parliament and long-distance runner) among others.
The county boasts outstanding natural attractions, including Mount Elgon National Park, Saiwa Swamp National Park and Kitale Nature Conservancy. Mt. Elgon National Park is located approximately 11 kilometers from Kitale town. Some of the wild animals found here include elephants, buffalos, black and white colobus, giant forest hog and over 420 bird species.
Trans-Nzoia County is accessible from Nairobi by road, primarily via the Nakuru-Eldoret route. The journey covers approximately 380 kilometers and takes 5-6 hours. Additionally, the county can be accessed by air through Kitale’s airport, located about 7 kilometers from Kitale town. The road from Nairobi to Kitale is tarmacked and smooth, facilitating transportation.
Our Mission is to facilitate transformative development, service delivery and good governance for sustainable socio-economic development and Our Vision is to be an outstanding agro-industrialized County with high quality of life for residents.
Copyright © 2024 County Government Of Trans Nzoia – All rights reserved.
