Samburu County

Samburu County
County
Brick Construction in Samburu
Brick Construction in Samburu
Flag of Samburu County
Flag
Coat of arms of Samburu County
Coat of arms
Location of Samburu County in Kenya
Location of Samburu County in Kenya
Coordinates: 1°10′N 36°40′E / 1.167°N 36.667°E / 1.167; 36.667
Country Kenya
Formed4 March 2013
CapitalMaralal
Government
 • GovernorJonathan Lati lelelit
Area
 • Total20,182.5 km2 (7,792.5 sq mi)
Population
 (2019)
 • Total310,327
 • Density15/km2 (40/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+3 (EAT)
Websitesamburu.go.ke

Samburu County is a county in the former Rift Valley Province, Kenya which covers an area of roughly 21,000 km2 (8,000 mi2) in northern Kenya where the Samburu, Turkana and many other tribes live. It stretches north from the Wuaso Ng'iro River to the south of Lake Turkana. According to the 2019 census, the county has a population of 310,327.[1]

Within Samburu County are the towns of Maralal (the capital and largest town),[2] Baragoi, Archers Post, South Horr, Wamba, Lodosoit, and Kisima.

It also includes the Samburu National Reserve, Bisanadi National Reserve, and Buffalo Springs National Reserve, Mount Ng'iro, Ndoto Mountains, Mathews Range (Ol Doinyo Lenkiyo), Kirisia Hills, and Loroki Forest.

The main access road to Samburu County is the A4 road from Rumuruti-Maralal-Baragoi, which as of 2019 was being tarmacked from Rumuruti up to Maralal.[3]

There is a town named Samburu in Kwale County also in Kenya, but it is not related to Samburu County or Samburu people.

Population

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1979 76,908—    
1989 108,884+41.6%
1999 143,547+31.8%
2009 223,947+56.0%
2019 310,327+38.6%
source:[4]

Religion

Religion in Samburu County [5]

Religion (2019 Census) Number
Catholicism 176,566
Protestant 54,349
Evangelical Churches 18,339
African instituted Churches 4,313
Orthodox 207
Other Cristian 6,760
Islam 2,849
Hindu 71
Traditionists 30,433
Other 4,686
No Religion/Atheists 7,428
Don't Know 1,945
Not Stated 11

County subdivisions

The county has three constituencies: Samburu East, Samburu West, and Samburu North. The headquarters of Samburu Central is Maralal, Samburu North is Baragoi and headquarters for Samburu East is Wamba although there has been controversy about the headquarters of Samburu East. Some schools of thought proposed Archers Post, a rapidly growing town, while others proposed Wamba town a less rapidly growing town.[6]

Local authorities (councils)
Authority Type Population* Urban pop.*
Maralal Town 24,612 16,281
Samburu County 118,935 18,507
Total – 143,547 34,788
* 1999 census. Source:[7]
Administrative divisions
Division Population* Headquarters
Baragoi 19,884 Baragoi
Kirisia 47,072 Mararal
Lorroki 25,571 Suguta mar mar
Nyiro 15,551
Wamba 24,155 Wamba
Waso 10,314
Total 143,547 -
* 1999 census. Sources:[8]

Government

The Samburu County Government is headed by Governor Jonathan Lati Leleliit who won the Samburu County's gubernatorial race in the 2022 general elections under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA). He garnered 40,740 votes against Dr. Richard Lesiyampe of the Jubilee Party who got 26,834 votes, and Daniel Lekupe an independent candidate, who garnered 1,847 votes, coming in third, and Richard Leiyagu who came last with 771 votes. He succeeded the former governor, Moses Lenolkulal, who retired after two terms in office.[9] A member of the national Jubilee party, Lenolkulal was the first governor following Kenya's devolution to county administrations.[10]

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. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 February 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "Samburu County Integrated Development Plan 2018-2022". Maarifa. Retrieved 18 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. ^ admin-samburu. "Downloads". Samburu County Government. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  7. ^ http://treasury.go.ke/cbs.go.ke/pdf/authority.pdf[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 May 2009. Retrieved 28 September 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ^ "Ex-MP Jonathan Leleliit declared winner of Samburu governor race". Nation. 12 August 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  10. ^ "Moses Lenolkula Kasaine Biography – Softkenya.com". Softkenya.com. 11 December 2015. Archived from the original on 10 February 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2018.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)