The Office of The County Secretary, and Head of Public Service
Office of the CS & Head of Public Service that has the mandate of Organizing the County Executive Committee meetings, taking minutes and communicating decisions/resolutions. The office is also responsible for Government programs coordination, Human Capital Management and ICT & Record Management.
Kenya Devolution Support Programme (KDSP). The project aims at improving and strengthening County performance through Capacity Building Support from World Bank. Its major aim is to ensure improved compliance to governance and attainment of county goals. The first Phase was completed and we are in Phase 2 of the project.
The project organization includes the focal person and 5 Key results focal persons. The County Secretary is the contact officer. The project includes 21 Counties that met the minimal criteria and is Co-coordinately through the ministry of devolution. The team leader is Joseph Kisindayi and the stakeholders include HR, Finance, Procurement, and Environment.
Green. Achieved 72.0% in phase 1 assessment by The World Bank. We now aim at attaining the highest score in phase 2 assessment. The project earned Kshs. 212M investment fund from phase 1 assessment that has been put into the construction of the maternity wing of the Bungoma referral Hospital. We are looking to achieve a better performance that will earn the county more funding to finance the priority projects.
The project has been focused primarily on Capacity Building where over 1000 participants have benefited from the various training undertaken in each of the Key Results Areas. The project also included Civic education to members of the County Assembly and the Public.
Agriculture, Livestock, Irrigation, Fisheries, and Cooperative Development
Agriculture is the backbone of Bungoma County and most families rely on crop production and animal rearing. The main crops include maize, beans, finger millet, sweet potatoes, bananas, Irish potatoes, and assorted vegetables. These are grown primarily for subsistence, with the excess sold to meet other family needs. On the other hand, the main cash crops include sugar cane, cotton, palm oil, coffee, sunflower, and tobacco. Most families integrate livestock production with farming. The main livestock kept include cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys, pigs, poultry, and bees. Most of this is on a small scale but some farmers also produce milk and poultry products for commercial use. Milk farmers sell their milk through cooperative societies, including Sang’alo, Kikai, and Naitiri.
The department has the mandate to:
- To promote and facilitate improved productivity of crops for food security and agricultural raw materials, value addition and access to efficient market.
- To promote the development of sustainable farmer-owned and managed irrigation and drainage projects, through participatory approach and coordination of stakeholders.
- The mandate of the Livestock sub-sector is to promote commercialization and industrialization of livestock production through facilitation and offering of regulatory services.
- The veterinary department is tasked with various roles which aim to prevent and control diseases and pests to safeguard human health, improve animal welfare, increase livestock productivity and ensure high-quality animals and their products to facilitate domestic and export trade.
- To facilitate the exploitation, utilization, management, development and conservation of fisheries resources as well as Aquaculture and undertake research in fresh water fisheries.
- The cooperative sector will provide a vehicle for sustained development of all other subsectors through provision of access to agricultural credit, promote value addition and commercialize marketing of agricultural produce through competitive pricing.
Main crops produced include maize, beans, finger millet, sweet potatoes, bananas, sorghum, Irish potatoes and assorted vegetables. Sugar cane, cotton, palm oil, coffee, tea, sunflower, and tobacco are grown as cash crops in the County.
Acreage under food and cash crops
The area under food crops is 201,654.6 ha, while that under cash crops is 86,423.4 ha. Nzoia Sugar Company has about 50,000 hectares of land under sugar cane. Most of the agricultural activities are rain-fed, meaning that farmers only Plant during the rainy seasons. It is therefore important for efforts to be directed towards diversification from agriculture to other economic activities, while also embracing irrigation and greenhouse farming technologies so as to boost food productivity.
Average farm sizes
The average farm size in Bungoma County is 2.5 acres. However, variations do exist in the food basket areas of Mt. Elgon and Tongaren ranging from 10-50 acres.
Main storage facilities
The County has three (4) National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) warehouses (Bungoma, Webuye, Kapsokwony and Bumula) which are underutilized. Traditional granaries and grips are also used by communities in rural areas. Most of the households also use sacks and baskets to store grains. Most grain is stored without proper drying and chemical treatment. This leads to massive losses due to grain damage from high moisture content or weevil’s attack. There is a need to subsidize drying and storage charges to increase demand for use of NCPB stores.
Main livestock breeds, products, and facilities
Animal husbandry is an integrated part of land use. Traditionally, wetlands and rangelands were used for grazing. The emphasis on crop production has reduced grazing land, hence reduction of animal stock. Main livestock in the County include; cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys, pigs, rabbits, poultry and bees. The average land carrying capacity is 3 livestock units per acre (LUs/acre). Indigenous chicken and cattle are the most common livestock, though their productivity is low.
Hence, there is need to introduce superior, fast growing and disease-resistant varieties to increase productivity and family incomes.
Ranching
The County does not have any ranches because 80% of the land is arable and therefore suitable for crops and mixed farming for both household consumption and for sale.
Fishing activities
The main types of fish produced through the County aquaculture programs are tilapia, catfish, and mudfish. Apart from fish farming, communities residing close to dams and main rivers engage in fishing activities on a subsistence basis. There is a need to promote aqua culture by training, establishing fish feed plants, rehabilitating and stocking existing dams and fish farms. In addition, there is a need to promote utilization of modern fish farming technologies ranging from production to storage, processing, and marketing.
Apiculture (Beekeeping)
Beekeeping is one of the agricultural activities in Bungoma County though on a small scale in sub-counties such as Mt. Elgon, Sirisia, and Bumula. Apart from being a low-cost initiative, apiculture is one of the answers to diversifying and modernizing agriculture. The County can promote apiculture by establishing model bee farms to serve as training and learning centers.
Irrigation potential
The County is home to Mt. Elgon, which is one of the 5 water towers in the country. Irrigation potential in the County can be realized by harnessing the waters of river Nzoia and all rivers that originate from Mt. Elgon including Terem/ Kuywa, Kibisi and Lwakhakha/ Malakisi. Gravity-fed irrigation systems are the most preferred because of the low cost of maintenance. The benefits of irrigation can be discerned through increased production, increased income, broadened
Education, and Vocational Training
The Education, Gender, Youth, Children, Sports, Culture ministry is tasked with considering, reviewing and monitoring matters relating to education, gender, youth, sports and culture and making relevant recommendations. Also, the committee monitors the implementation and adherence of international standards and national policy and legislation at the county level and makes appropriate recommendations. The department has a vision to create sustainable and equitable social and economic empowerment for all.
The department has the following responsibilities.
- Gender mainstreaming and Social Economic Empowerment of Women and PWDS,
- Child development affairs. This entails importantly Coordination of Primary Child Protection Services
- Social support Protection Services
- Community Development through community mobilization and community capacity building
- Social welfare; Family and Child welfare, Generic Social Work, NGO Coordination
- Culture Preservation and Promotion; Establish cultural centers, preserve traditional artifacts, secure cultural and historical sites.
- Alcoholic drinks and Licensing and Control; Regulation of liquor licensing and consumption, Enforcing the laws of cultural and regulations and alcoholic drinks
- Administrative services; Human resource Services, Accounts Services. Procurement Services, General Administration Services, HIV Work place interventions
Education is a fundamental human right enshrined in the constitution of Kenya in recognition of the important role it plays in uplifting the welfare of the citizens. It enhances employment opportunities, promote gender equality and enables the realization of social objectives such as improved rates and survival rates of children. Globalization and sustainable development goals call for investment in quality education to equip people with competencies and skills for enhanced productivity and competitiveness.
Pre- School Education
According to KIHBS 2015/16, the Gross Attendance Ratio (GAR) for pre-primary is 101.5% (male-97.7% and Female-105.4%) compared to the national average of 94.4% (male-95.4 and female-93.5%). However, variability exists among rural and urban areas. Table 16 details relevant education statistics for pre-school education in the County.
Primary Education
According to KIHBS 2015/16, the Gross Attendance Ratio (GAR) for primary education is 113.2% (male-116.8% and Female-109.8%) compared to the national average of 107.2% (male-109.0% and female-105.4%). However, variability exists among rural and urban areas. Table 17 details relevant education statistics for primary education in the County.
Secondary Education
According to KIHBS 2015/16, the Gross Attendance Ratio (GAR) for secondary education is 66.0% (male-67.0% and Female-64.9%) compared to the national average of 66.2% (male-67.2% and female-65.2%). However, variability exists among rural and urban areas. Table 18 details relevant education statistics for secondary education in the County.
Tertiary Education
The County has a fully-fledged university – Kibabii which was chartered in 2015. It is located 8.2 Km from Bungoma town, along the Chwele-kimilili road. Other major institutions of higher education include: MMUST campus, University of Nairobi extramural center, Sangalo Institute of Science and Technology, Matili Technical Training College and Kibabii Diploma Teachers College. In addition, the County hosts three Medical training colleges at Webuye, Bungoma and Sichei.
The County has 97 TVET institutions. To ensure quality teaching and learning the County will implement a comprehensive programme targeting to improve TVET infrastructure, human resources and teaching and learning materials.
Libraries /information documentation centres/ citizens service centres
The County has Kimilili community library which is under Kenya Library Services as the only public library in operation. In the medium term, the County shall work with the national government to establish integrated information centres in the County
Cooperative Societies
The County has 180 producer cooperative societies and 120 Savings and Credit Co-operative Societies (SACCOs). The County should invest in capacity building of all cooperative societies to realize their potential.
Environment, Water, and Tourism
The department has the vision to be a clean, healthy, environmentally sustainable and prosperous county for a globally competitive tourist destination and to be the leading County Government in Kenya in the provision of accessible, adequate and quality water and sanitation services.
Its mission is to ensure sustainable development through fostering effective, efficient utilization of County resources to promote the tourism industry in Bungoma County and to ensure Sustainable provision of adequate, quality and affordable water and sanitation services through effective management of resources and infrastructure and in turn promote socio-economic progress in the county.
Its mandate includes:
- Development of Tourism circuits
- Marketing and promotion of Tourism attractions in the County
- Developing, preservation, and conservation of forests and forested areas
- Developing, preservation, and conservation of natural water resources
- Improve the Provision of Water and Sewerage Services
- Increase water storage
- Managing County Natural Resources in a sustainable manner
- Promoting Research and development in the sector
- Product development
- Holding of stakeholders’ forum
- Exhibitions and shows
- Product identification and development
- Identification of stakeholders and formation of association
- Promotion of home stays and cultural tourism.
- Reinforce Bungoma County tourism industry as a high-quality service sector
- Better position Bungoma County among the top tourism destination in the Country.
- Create environment conducive to tourism businesses
- Investing in Tourism Infrastructure
- Enacting and enforcement of laws and regulations in the sector Safeguarding of all tourist destinations.
Major degraded areas
The major degraded areas include; Mount Elgon, Hilltops; chetambe hills and sang’alo hills, and Riparian areas along Rivers Nzoia, Malakisi, Kuywa, Sio and khalaba.
Major contributions to environmental degradation
Environmental degradation affects water bodies, soil, air, plants, wildlife and aquatic life. The global contributors to environmental degradation include; Air pollution due to drilling, blasting, mine haulage, bush burning, waste heaps and transportation by road; Water pollution due to oil spillage; Soil erosion, soil modification; Noise and vibration problems in the mine and destruction of aesthetics through indiscriminate waste disposal. Safeguarding our environment is key to sustainable food production.
Environmental hotspots
There is a linkage between environment, land use patterns, poverty and climate change. The main environmental hotspots in the County include; urban areas and towns, Markets, Mount Elgon forest, Chetambe hills, Sang’alo hills, Riparian areas, food basket zones in Tongaren, schools and institutional spaces and Quarrying areas. Waste generated in these areas can be categorized as residential, street, commercial, industrial and clinical. To ensure environmental sustainability the waste has to be managed through a hierarchy that covers generation, collection, segregation and treatment.
Solid waste management facilities
The County dumpsite at Mwanda in Bumula sub-County is operational. However it needs fencing and sanitization for it to offer quality service. There is need to explore recycling opportunities and other waste management practices.
Water resources
Access to safe drinking water is a basic necessity for human welbeing. The County water resources are predominantly rivers and underground water sources. Water harvesting is gradually being scaled up through efforts of development partners. In the medium term the County will prioritize investment in water resource conservation, preservation and sustainable utilization.
Water supply schemes
There are four urban and six rural water supply schemes in the County. Urban schemes are mainly piped and are operated by Lake Victoria North Water Services Board through the water service provider – Nzoia Water and Sanitation Company. Rural water schemes are operated by the County Water Department through its field water officers. The water service provider relies on expensive pumping systems to distribute water to customers. The overhead costs of these systems reduce the efficiency and effectiveness in water service provision.
Water management
Water resource management involves planning, developing, distributing and managing the optimum use of water resources. Sustainable management of our water resources is key to overall wellbeing of the people. To progressively attain the human right to water, the County will increase investments in rehabilitation, expansion and construction of gravity piped schemes to cater for the needs of our expanding population with emphasis on; Water storage/ harvesting and management, Urban water supply (Coverage and functionality) and Rural water supply (Coverage and functionality.
Tourism attractions in the County are either natural or man-made features such as resorts, monuments, museums, town/city landmarks, culture, artifacts, shrines, historical sites, drama, songs and dance.
Main tourist attractions and activities
The County has abundant natural and man-made assets, with welcoming peace-loving people, plentiful wildlife, extensive natural and cultural attractions, and adventure opportunities. Considerable opportunities for expansion exist in safari, conference, business, and diaspora tourism. Furthermore, the County has great potential to expand products that are more recently in greater demand, such as nature/adventure tourism, cultural heritage tourism, and travel for wellness, health and retirement purposes.
Main Wildlife
The main wildlife found within the County include; Elephants, Buffalo, Monkeys, Hyenas and Gazelles as well as plants species. Others include: various bird species, insects, reptiles species. In the plan period, sustainable management of human-wildlife conflict will be enhanced to safeguard the wildlife.
Wildlife Conservation Areas
Mt. Elgon forest reserve measures 618.2 km ² and is the largest conservation area in the County. It has a wide range of flora and fauna. Small private and community conservancies also exist in the County.
Innovative tourist attractions
In the medium term, the County in partnership with the private sector will focus on the development of business tourism, cable cars between high hills; mountaineering tracks; nature trails in Mt Elgon Forest Reserve; sporting car tracks; ecological resorts; artificial lakes, dams, and waterfalls; bird and
animal watching platforms; bicycle riding tracks; marathon tracks; and sites for video shooting.
Finance, and Economic Planning
The department has the following mandate:
- The provision of leadership and coordination in preparation of the County Development Plan documents.
- Coordinating the County Budget making process
- Debt management
- Risk management
- To provide overall leadership and policy direction in resource mobilization, management and accountability for quality public service delivery
- Coordinating public participation in planning and budget processes
- Provision of a sound public finance management system and plan that would result into effective and efficient provision of services to the people of Bungoma County.
- Coordination and provision of leadership in the County Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework, and the Annual Progress Reports;
- Assisting the other County Government departments to translate their strategy into action.
- Ensure that there is responsible and clear fiscal reporting in the use of public funds.
- Ensure adherence to Procurement and Disposal Act
It has the following sections that it deals with;
- Revenue
- Procurement
- Monitoring & Evaluation
- Audit
- Accounts
- Planning
- Community Empowerment
- Budget
Gender, Youth, culture, and Sports
The County has vibrant youthful population with energy and innovative minds that can exploit the potential offered in sports, culture and arts. In the medium term, the County shall realize this objective by investing in ICT hubs.
Museums, Heritage and Cultural sites
The County has a rich history and cultural heritage that can drive future tourism numbers and support local economies through establishment of a museum. The existing cultural sites in the County include; Tulumba Sudi Namachanja’s mausoleum, Elija wa Nameme mausoleum, Sikele siamulia footprints in Sanga’lo, County cultural centre at sang’alo, Webuye Cultural Centre and Lumboka fort.
Talent Academies
Kenya has one Youth Talent Academy at Moi International Sports centre Kasarani. The County through Private Public Partnership arrangement will strive to establish integrated talent academies, to offer soccer, volleyball, media and creative arts.
Sports facilities
The County has various sports facilities including; Masinde Muliro at Kanduyi, Namutala at Kimilili, Mayuba at Sirisia, Nalondo at Kabuchai, Rai paper at Webuye, Sudi at Nzoia and the high altitude centre at Mt. Elgon. In the medium term, the County shall initiate the expansion and modernization of Masinde Muliro stadium into a world class sports complex. Other sports facilities will be upgraded in phases.
Public Service, and Management
The department has a vision to be a professional, productive and responsive public service and administration and a mission to develop and offer world class public administration service in Bungoma County
It has a mandate to:
- Promote civic education on county policies and plans and policies
- Disaster risk reduction.
- Promote efficient and effective human resource management and development for improved public service delivery
- Establish norms and standards to ensure that the county and department machinery functions optimally and those norms and standards are adhered to.
- Promote an ethical public service through programs, systems frameworks and structures that detect prevent and combat corruption.
- Decentralization, local governance and rural urban engagement.
- Supporting and facilitating democratic governance.
- Contribute towards improved public administration through dialogue and sharing of the best practice.
- Coordination of the devolved units
- Dissemination of county government policies
- County administration
- Conflict management and resolution
- Interface with national administration
- Coordination of performance management in the county public service
Roads, Transport, Infrastructure, and Public Work
The department has a mandate to do the following:
- Infrastructure development and maintenance.
- Open up all access roads by repairing, grading and gravelling
- Connect All Weather roads with bridges
- Repair and maintenance of roads to primarily be done through own machinery and MOUs with local sugar companies.
- Enhance monitoring and evaluation through stringent inspections.
- Institutionalize change management and organizational culture in managing people in depth
Roads section
The road directorate is charged with planning, designing, developing and supervising of projects to ensure safe, durable, functional and economical building of roads and bridges. Besides design work, the department also undertakes feasibility and technical investigations of sites, supervise the tendering procedures and logically resolve design and development problems associated with roads.
Public Works Section
This section facilitates provision and maintenance of building and other public works within the county. It also oversees development of design for public buildings, preparation of bill of quantities for building projects and other public works. The directorate provides projects and contract management services to building projects.
Transport and Safety Section
This section oversees erection of road furniture, creation of bus bays, maintaining and improving transport systems, licensing, creation of transport policies and liaising with other players to enforce transport policies and regulations. The transport and safety department also includes the Fire Section which deals mostly with all types of disasters including fires, firefighting and rescue, emergency medical response services, trainings through lectures and demonstrations, drills, building inspections and enforcement of fire safety legislation/ compliance and fire investigations.
Road Network
The Mombasa – Nairobi – Eldoret – Webuye – Malaba highway (A104) traverses through the County. It is a major link road for trade and commerce. The Webuye – Kitale highway (A1) has recently undergone re-construction, thereby positioning the County as the desired destination for attracting and retaining investment. Some of the major road works undertaken by the national government in the County include: Webuye-Kitale (59km), Musikoma-Buyofu-Mungatsi (ongoing), Lwakhakha-Korosiendet-Tulienge-Sirisia-Namwela-Chwele (ongoing), Musikoma – Sang’alo – Lurambi
(ongoing). In the medium term, the County shall seek to upgrade 250 kms of road network to bitumen standards. In doing so, the County shall adopt the network approach in road construction that links key community installations and businesses to major transport corridors.
The benefits of the aforementioned road projects include; introduction of buses and shuttles for PSV, Improved traffic flow, reduced travel time, reduced vehicle operating costs, direct employment to local workers, improved emergency response, improved safety and security of road users, improvement of community amenities through corporate social responsibility and capacity development of local contractors through sub-contracting.
Airstrips
The County has two underutilized airstrips in Webuye and Bungoma Towns. It is proposed that the latter airstrip, in consultation with the national government, be converted into a recreational or Small Medium Enterprises (SME) park. The County through the intergovernmental relations committee will work with the national government to upgrade and expand Matulo airstrip at Webuye into an airport.
Health, Nutrition, and Sanitation
The department has a vision to be an effective health care system that is accessible and affordable for every Kenyan, and a mission to promote and participate in the provision of high quality preventive, curative and rehabilitative health care services to all Kenyans.
It has the following mandate:
- To provide high standards of attainable preventive, curative and rehabilitative health services.
- To ensure consistent and timely procurement of health products to all health facilities in the county to reduce the lead time of procuring Health products and Technologies from over six months to two weeks.
- To establish a robust and dynamic human resource capital base that is aligned to health sector strategic priorities.
- To upgrade and renovate health infrastructure to facilitate delivery of quality comprehensive health care services to the citizens of Bungoma County.
- To improve the referral infrastructure to cover all levels of the health service in the county.
- To secure sufficient and sustainable resources for health financing to provide essential health services to the citizens of Bungoma County
- To enhance the capacities of health sector structures and systems to provide effective leadership across all county organs
- To facilitate access to quality health information for decision making at all levels within the county to increase the reporting index (reporting rate, completeness and timeliness) by health facilities.
- To Benchmark on best practices and evidence-based health interventions through continuous research and development initiatives.
A country’s health status is an important indicator of the level of development. To be truly effective, we need functional health system that is built upon the foundations of access, quality, prevention and early intervention.
Health Access
According to District Health Information Systems (DHIS) 2016, the County has a total of 197 health facilities: 1 County referral hospital, 1 County hospital, 8 sub-County hospitals, 19 health centres, 89 dispensaries, 60 private clinics and 19 faith-based facilities
Morbidity
The top 5 diseases in the County for the financial year 2016/17 as per the DHIS, 2017 are: Malaria, Anaemia, Pneumonia, Diarrhoea and Pepetic Ulcers.
Nutritional status
According to KDHS 2014, Children under 5 years who are stunted (moderate or severe) stand at 24% against the national 26%. Children under 5 years who are wasted (moderate or severe) (%) take up 2% against the national 4%, Children under 5 years who are underweight (%) stand at 9% against 11% at the national level. Children under 5 years who are overweight or obese (%) 3% while those at the national stand at 4%.
Immunization coverage
WHO Recommended Routine Immunizations against tuberculosis, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles, hepatitis B, haemophilus influenzae type b, pneumonia/meningitis, rotavirus, and rubella. In Bungoma County, 73 percent of children age 12-23 months are fully immunized against vaccine preventable childhood diseases against a national average of 68%. The percentage of children fully vaccinated is higher for rural areas (71 percent) than for urban areas (59 percent). Children whose mothers had secondary or higher education had higher vaccination rates than those whose mothers had primary education.
Maternal health care
WHO recommends a minimum of four antenatal visits. In Bungoma County, almost nine in ten mothers received ANC more than once and half of the mothers received ANC at least four times. The percentage of women from urban areas (56 percent) who received ANC four or more times was higher than those from rural areas (46 percent). In the same reporting period, 50 percent of births occurring in the two years preceding the MICS were delivered by skilled personnel. In urban areas, 63 percent of women were delivered by any skilled attendant while 41 percent in rural areas were delivered by any skilled personnel.
Access to family planning services/Contraceptive prevalence
Appropriate family planning is important to the health of women and children by:
- Preventing pregnancies that are too early or too late;
- Extending the period between births; and
- Limiting the total number of children.
According to Micro Indicator Clusters 2016, Contraception by women currently married or in union is 54 percent with urban and rural areas at (54 and 55 percent, respectively). Half of the women age 20-24 years currently married or in union use a method of contraception, while the use among older women is over 60 percent for those between age 25 and 34 years, declining thereafter.
Sanitation
In Bungoma County, 67 percent of the population has improved sanitation facilities. This percentage is 79 in urban areas and 57 percent in rural areas. Overall, half of the population use an improved sanitation facility. Improved sanitation can reduce diarrheal disease by more than a third, and can significantly lessen the adverse health impacts of other disorders responsible for death and disease among thousands of children in the County.
Lands, Housing, Urban, and Physical Planning
Land is a natural resource which is fixed in supply and yet its demand is ever increasing. The County has 2,880.78 Km ² of arable land. Land uses include: Agriculture, forestry, mining, human settlements, business, social and public amenities. Land is also used as collateral to obtain credit as well as for aesthetic purposes. Spatial Planning should be emphasized to enable sustainable utilization of land and air spaces. In addition, the County should set aside land at strategic locations for future public and private investments.
Land ownership categories/ classification
Land in the County is either privately owned (freehold), leasehold (for predetermined period of time) or held in trust by the government for the community.
Mean holding size
The average holding size in the County for small-scale farm sizes is 1.5 acres, while for large-scale farms is 10 acres. This implies that land sizes are declining due to the fragmentation of land into uneconomical units/parcels. This calls for a change of value system and attitudes towards land use. There is need to control fragmentation of land and also enforce the regulations on agrarian zones within the framework of National Land Policy.
Percentage of land with title deeds
According to KIBHS 2005/07, only 34.1% of land parcels in the County have title deeds whereas 65.9% of households reside on ancestral lands with no official documents of ownership. There is need for proper land adjudication and demarcation of public, private and community land within the existing legal framework.
Incidence of landlessness
The County has some cases of landlessness and squatterdom. These cases are mainly in Mt. Elgon Sub-County where efforts to resettle families evicted from the Mt. Elgon Forest reserve and Chepyuk settlement scheme are on-going. There is need for policy and legislation to address issues related to landlessness and homelessness.
Settlement patterns (Urban centres, informal settlement, etc.)
Settlement patterns in the County are influenced by productivity of agricultural land, transport and communication network and access to sources of employment, social and economic amenities and services. Some of the densely populated areas in the County include: Bungoma, Webuye, Kimilili and Chwele towns as well as areas around Kibabii University.
Housing
The County housing is composed of a mix of units differentiated by cost, usage and material types. The dorminant construction materials for floor are earthen, walls is mud and roofs corrugated iron sheets. Locally available construction materials include; sand, bricks, stones, timber, logs, nails and corrugated iron sheets. The demand for housing in the County outstrips the supply. There’s need to develop and implement a housing strategy to meet the demand, improve the housing mix, affordability and availability of housing.
The strategy combines three key elements:
- Analysis of local or regional housing needs and conditions
- An aim and a more detailed set of objectives
- Concrete measures to implement these objectives, including financing mechanisms.
Tell us how can we improve this post?
Log In is required for submitting new question.