Eldoret is a principal town in the
Rift Valley region of
Kenya
)
, national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Nairobi
, coordinates =
, largest_city = Nairobi
, ...
and serves as the capital of
Uasin Gishu County
Uasin Gishu County is one of the 47 counties of Kenya located in the former Rift Valley Province. Eldoret has the county's largest population center as well as its administrative and commercial center. “It lies between longitudes 34 degrees ...
. The town was referred to by white settlers as Farm 64, 64 and colloquially by locals as 'Sisibo'. As per the 2019
Kenya Population and Housing Census, Eldoret is the fifth most populated urban area in the country after Kenya's 4 cities of
Nairobi
Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper ha ...
,
Mombasa
Mombasa ( ; ) is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean. It was the first capital of the British East Africa, before Nairobi was elevated to capital city status. It now serves as the capital of Mombasa County. The town is ...
,
Kisumu
Kisumu ( ) is the List of cities and towns in Kenya by population, third-largest city in Kenya after the capital, Nairobi, and the coastal city of Mombasa (census 2019). It is the third-largest city after Kampala and Mwanza in the Lake Victor ...
and
Nakuru
Nakuru is a city in the Rift Valley region of Kenya. It is the capital of Nakuru County, and was formerly the capital of Rift Valley Province. As of 2019, Nakuru had an urban and rural population of 570,674 inhabitants, making it the largest ...
. Lying south of the
Cherangani Hills
The Cherang'any Hills are a range of hills in the western highlands of Kenya. The hills are one of Kenya's five main forests and catchment areas. The highlands, the large central plateau, is divided by the Mau Escarpment which rises from the bor ...
, the local elevation varies from about at the airport to more than in nearby areas. The population was 289,380 in the 2009 Census,
and it is currently the fastest growing town in Kenya with 475,716 people according to 2019 National Census. Eldoret was on course to be named Kenya's fourth city, but was edged out by Nakuru in 2021.
Etymology
The name "Eldoret" is based on the
Maasai Maasai may refer to:
* Maasai people
*Maasai language
* Maasai mythology
* MAASAI (band)
See also
* Masai (disambiguation)
* Massai
Massai (also known as: Masai, Massey, Massi, Mah–sii, Massa, Wasse, Wassil or by the nickname "Big Foot" Mas ...
word "eldore" meaning "stony river"; a reference to the bed of the Sosiani River (a tributary of the
Nile
The Nile, , Bohairic , lg, Kiira , Nobiin language, Nobiin: Áman Dawū is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa and has historically been considered ...
), that runs through the city.
History
Eldoret and the plateau around it had been occupied by the
Sirikwa
The Sirikwa culture was the predominant Kenyan hinterland culture of the Pastoral Iron Age, c.2000 BP. Seen to have developed out of the Elmenteitan culture of the East African Pastoral Neolithic c.3300-1200 BP, it was followed in much of its ...
for several centuries prior to the era of
Maasai Maasai may refer to:
* Maasai people
*Maasai language
* Maasai mythology
* MAASAI (band)
See also
* Masai (disambiguation)
* Massai
Massai (also known as: Masai, Massey, Massi, Mah–sii, Massa, Wasse, Wassil or by the nickname "Big Foot" Mas ...
ascendancy. Innovation in weaponry was introduced by the Maasai era of the late 18th and 19th centuries. With new weapons and forms of governance, they swept down from their original homelands in the north, closer to
Lake Turkana
Lake Turkana (), formerly known as Lake Rudolf, is a lake in the Kenyan Rift Valley, in northern Kenya, with its far northern end crossing into Ethiopia. It is the world's largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake. B ...
, down to their present homelands south of Kenya. The Maasai clan that took over the Plateau were known as the Ilwasin Kishu, after whom it is presently named.
In August 1908, fifty-eight families of displaced
Afrikaner
Afrikaners () are a South African ethnic group descended from Free Burghers, predominantly Dutch settlers first arriving at the Cape of Good Hope in the 17th and 18th centuries.Entry: Cape Colony. ''Encyclopædia Britannica Volume 4 Part 2: ...
s left
Nakuru
Nakuru is a city in the Rift Valley region of Kenya. It is the capital of Nakuru County, and was formerly the capital of Rift Valley Province. As of 2019, Nakuru had an urban and rural population of 570,674 inhabitants, making it the largest ...
for the Uasin Gishu plateau after a journey from South Africa by sea and by rail from
Mombasa
Mombasa ( ; ) is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean. It was the first capital of the British East Africa, before Nairobi was elevated to capital city status. It now serves as the capital of Mombasa County. The town is ...
. Led by Jan van Rensburg, they traveled using wagons that would often get stuck in mud, finally arriving at Sergoit Hil
on 22 October of that year. Jan Ernest Kruger would later own the Sergoit farm, now owned by Sergoit Golf and Wildlife resort.
The land had earlier been surveyed by a certain van Breda and the new arrivals took up leaseholds of between on condition that they would develop it within five years. Each family built a shack, put up fences, in-spanned oxen to simple ploughs and turned the first furrows. They sowed wheat, maize and vegetables. These actions laid the foundation for the transformation of the Plateau into a prosperous agricultural region.
The farms were later officially registered and each was given a number.
Eldoret was established in the midst of the farms they created on what was known to the settlers as "Farm 64", "64" or "Sisibo" to the locals because at that time it was from the newly built
Uganda Railway
The Uganda Railway was a metre-gauge railway system and former British state-owned railway company. The line linked the interiors of Uganda and Kenya with the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa in Kenya. After a series of mergers and splits, the lin ...
railhead at
Kibigori Kibigori is a small town in Kisumu County, Kenya. It is located 20 kilometres east of Kisumu.Rough Guide Map of Kenya It is part of the Chemelil ward of Muhoroni Constituency and Nyando County Council.Electoral Commission of Kenya''Registration cent ...
. Willy van Aardt owned the farm. The Central Lounge in Eldoret is all that remains of Willy's farm.
The official town site started in 1910 with the development of a Post Office at "Sisibo". This was followed shortly after by the arrival of 60 more Afrikaner families in 1911.
[http://www.ipsos.co.ke/NEWBASE_EXPORTS/ICC/131030_Kass%20Magazine_15_60eef.pdf] The governor decided to establish an administrative centre in the area in 1912 and thus the Post Office was renamed from "64" to a new official town name: "Eldoret". Becoming an administrative centre caused an enormous increase in trade within the prospective city. A bank and several shops were built.
![COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM President Jomo Kenyatta staande in een landrover tijdens de opening van de Eldoret Agricultural Show TMnr 20038661](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_President_Jomo_Kenyatta_staande_in_een_landrover_tijdens_de_opening_van_de_Eldoret_Agricultural_Show_TMnr_20038661.jpg)
The
Uganda Railway
The Uganda Railway was a metre-gauge railway system and former British state-owned railway company. The line linked the interiors of Uganda and Kenya with the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa in Kenya. After a series of mergers and splits, the lin ...
extension, from Kibigori toward
Uganda
}), is a landlocked country in East Africa
East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...
, reached Eldoret in 1924, starting a new era of prosperity and growth. In 1928, a piped water supply from the Sosiani River was installed. In 1933, the East African Power and Lighting Company installed an electricity generator plant. By that time, Eldoret had a small airport, and low-cost rental housing had been constructed.
In the 1950s the town was literally divided into two, along the main street (now Uganda Road), with the Afrikaans on the north and the British on the south. The former took their children to Highland School, (now Moi Girls High School) and the latter, to Hill School. Recreation was also along the divide – 'Brits' used the Lincoln Hotel and the Race-Course near the now "Chinese Area" while the Afrikaans converged at the Wagon Wheel for recreation.
Daniel Arap Moi
Daniel Toroitich arap Moi ( ; 2 September 1924 – 4 February 2020) was a Kenyan politician who served as the second president of Kenya from 1978 to 2002. He was the country's longest-serving president. Moi previously served as the third vice ...
was born in the neighboring Baringo District, and under his
presidency
A presidency is an administration or the executive, the collective administrative and governmental entity that exists around an office of president of a state or nation. Although often the executive branch of government, and often personified b ...
, the town was developed further. The country's second institution of higher learning,
Moi University
Moi University is a public university located in Kesses, Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu county, in the former Rift Valley Province of Kenya. It was established in 1984 by the Moi University Act of the Parliament of Kenya, after recommendations from ...
, was established by the government in 1984 and the third international airport was subsequently constructed, significantly boosting the fortunes of the town.
By 1987, only two Afrikaner households remained in Eldoret, with the rest having moved back to South Africa in the late 1950s and early 1960s, in the aftermath of the
Mau Mau rebellion
The Mau Mau rebellion (1952–1960), also known as the Mau Mau uprising, Mau Mau revolt or Kenya Emergency, was a war in the British Kenya Colony (1920–1963) between the Kenya Land and Freedom Army (KLFA), also known as the ''Mau Mau'', ...
and in anticipation of independence.
The city was significantly impacted by the
2007–2008 Kenyan crisis when violence gripped Kenya in the aftermath of controversial general elections. The athlete
Lucas Sang
Lucas Sang (12 February 1961 – 1 January 2008) was a Kenyan athlete who participated in the 1988 Summer Olympics, held in Seoul. He was a member of the Kenyan 4 x 400 metre relay team, reaching the final and finishing eighth. He also competed ...
was murdered about away from the town while on his way home to Chepkoilel. On 1 January 2008, a mob attacked and set fire to a church located near burnt forest town, a satellite town of Eldoret. Hundreds of people had taken refuge during Kenyan massacres. As a result, about forty to eighty people, mostly
Kikuyu Kikuyu or Gikuyu (Gĩkũyũ) mostly refers to an ethnic group in Kenya or its associated language.
It may also refer to:
* Kikuyu people, a majority ethnic group in Kenya
*Kikuyu language, the language of Kikuyu people
*Kikuyu, Kenya, a town in Cent ...
, were burnt to death.
William Ruto
William Kipchirchir Samoei Arap Ruto (born 21 December 1966) is a Kenyan politician who is serving as the fifth and current president of Kenya since 13 September 2022. Prior to becoming president, he served as the 11th deputy president of Ken ...
the current President of the Republic of Kenya was born in Kamagut Ward of
Turbo Constituency
Turbo is a constituency in Kenya, one of six constituencies in Uasin Gishu County
Uasin Gishu County is one of the 47 counties of Kenya located in the former Rift Valley Province. Eldoret has the county's largest population center as well a ...
that straddles Eldoret town. He has previously represented
Eldoret North Constituency Eldoret North Constituency was a former electoral constituency in Kenya. It was one of three constituencies in Uasin Gishu District, now Uasin Gishu County
Uasin Gishu County is one of the 47 counties of Kenya located in the former Rift Valley ...
in parliament.
Climate
Eldoret has a
subtropical highland climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''Cfb''). The city, lying over above sea level, has a moderate to cool climate. The temperatures fall significantly at night, and in the cold season (May–August) it is regularly in the single digits Celsius.
Population
Local governance
Eldoret is governed by the County Government of Uasi
Gishu which manages all the city affairs. The city is divided into thirteen wards. Six of them (Huruma, Kamukunji, Kapyemit, Kidiwa/Kapsuswa, and Stadium/Industrial, Market) are in
Eldoret North Constituency Eldoret North Constituency was a former electoral constituency in Kenya. It was one of three constituencies in Uasin Gishu District, now Uasin Gishu County
Uasin Gishu County is one of the 47 counties of Kenya located in the former Rift Valley ...
, Three (Hospital, Kapsoya and Kimumu/Sergoit) are in
Eldoret East Constituency, and the remaining four (Kipkenyo, Langas, Pioneer/
Elgon View Elgon View is a suburb located on the southern side of Eldoret, Kenya and named after Mt Elgon. It is primarily zoned for low-density residential housing. Considered an affluent neighborhood, Elgon View is home to politicians, athletes, businessmen ...
and Race Course) are part of
Eldoret South Constituency. All of these three constituencies have more wards within other local authorities than Eldoret municipality.
Suburbs
Eldoret has a number of estates. Estates vary in that some are posh and others are residents of the middle-class community. Almost every estate has its own identity. Some of the estates include
Elgon View Elgon View is a suburb located on the southern side of Eldoret, Kenya and named after Mt Elgon. It is primarily zoned for low-density residential housing. Considered an affluent neighborhood, Elgon View is home to politicians, athletes, businessmen ...
, Langas, Kapseret, Huruma, Kapsoya, Shauri, Kipkorgot, Kahoya, West Indies, West, Kipkaren, Kimumu, Jerusalem, Annex, Mwanzo, Action, Mailinne, Pioneer, Outspan, Kiplombe, Kamkunji, Samar, Silas, Kenya Service, Cheplaskei, Chinese, Road Block, Peris, Junction, Munyaka, Hillside, Eldoville, Juniorate among many others.
Economy
![Uasi_ngishu_farmlands](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Uasi_ngishu_farmlands.jpg)
Eldoret is surrounded by prime agricultural lands and acts as a trading centre for
Uasin Gishu's economy which is driven by large-scale grain farming, dairy and horticultural farming. The town is also a local manufacturing hub with a number of nationally recognised manufacturing concerns, including Raiplywoods, Rupa Textiles, Kenya Pipeline Company, Kenya Co-operative Creameries as well as corn, wheat and pyrethrum factories all within the town.
The city is home to a large
market
Market is a term used to describe concepts such as:
*Market (economics), system in which parties engage in transactions according to supply and demand
*Market economy
*Marketplace, a physical marketplace or public market
Geography
*Märket, an ...
and is known for the ''Doinyo Lessos'' cheese factory,
Moi University
Moi University is a public university located in Kesses, Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu county, in the former Rift Valley Province of Kenya. It was established in 1984 by the Moi University Act of the Parliament of Kenya, after recommendations from ...
and
Eldoret International Airport
Eldoret Airport is an international airport in Kenya.
Location
Eldoret Airport, , is located in the city of Eldoret, in Uasin Gishu County, in the midwestern Kenya, close to the International border with Uganda. Its location is approximately ...
. The runners from Eldoret have also contributed significantly to the economy of Eldoret town, primarily investing in small businesses and real estate, from their winnings in races all over the world.
Moses Kiptanui
Moses Kiptanui (born 1 October 1970) is a Kenyan middle and long distance athlete mostly famous for 3,000 m steeplechase in which he was the number one ranked athlete from 1991 to 1995 and three time IAAF World Champion. Kiptanui was al ...
is a stake holder in one of the largest buildings Komora that houses a large supermarket chain and many offices.
Notable professional firms include Nyairo and Company, the oldest law firm in the city, founded by Alfred Momanyi Nyairo in the sixties. Other law firms include Wabomba Masinde and Associates advocates, Gumbo and Associate Advocates, Mburu Maina & Company Advocates, Nyaundi Tuiyott & Company Advocates, Kalya & Company Advocates, Chebii and Company Advocates and Gicheru & Company Advocates.
Industries
Textiles
The town has a vibrant textile industry that is led by Ken Knit (Kenya). It is the first, fully integrated textile manufacturing company in East and Central Africa and has been based in Eldoret for close to 50 years. It is Kenya's leading manufacturer of wool products and with a workforce of 2,000, is presently the largest textile related employer in the North-Rift.
Another notable textile firm is Rivatex EA which was opened in 1975 by then Vice President,
Daniel Toroitich arap Moi
Daniel Toroitich arap Moi ( ; 2 September 1924 – 4 February 2020) was a Kenyan politician who served as the second president of Kenya from 1978 to 2002. He was the country's longest-serving president. Moi previously served as the third vice ...
as Rift Valley Textiles (
Rivatex
Rivatex was an association football club based in Eldoret, Kenya
)
, national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Nairob ...
), a
parastatal
A state-owned enterprise (SOE) is a government entity which is established or nationalised by the ''national government'' or ''provincial government'' by an executive order or an act of legislation in order to earn profit for the government ...
that was the first Kenyan textile mill to operate computerized mills. It quickly became a success, achieving profitability within three years while employing 400 people and consuming 3,000 tons of cotton a year at its peak. By the late 1990s, the liberalization of Kenya's market which led to massive imports of cheap used clothing coupled with mismanagement led to the decline of the country's textile industry. Rivatex in Eldoret was placed under receivership in 1998 and finally shut its doors in 2000.
[Olingo, A. ]
The rise, fall and rise again of Rivatex, firm that now holds patent for Tami dye
', 10 March 2016
The town of Eldoret, through Moi University and its subsidiary firm Rivatex, has played a leading role in the revival of the Kenyan textile industry.
[Kibet, D., ]
New dye made from weed revives Kenya’s textile industry and brings local fabric costs down
'', Moi University Research Uptake 18 May 2015
The defunct Rivatex was purchased from the Government of Kenya in 2007 by Moi University as a facility for research, product development, extension and production. The university identified the high cost of imported dyes as a factor affecting profitability. This was resolved in 2008, when
Prof Richard Mibey, invented the Tami Dye, a natural dye made from Mexican Marigold which was previously considered a weed in the surrounding regions. The university holds the patent to this dye.
Being able to produce affordable dye in Kenya has been a key contributing factor to the revival of Rivatex East Africa and the wider Kenyan textile industry.
The university won a $60 million grant from the World Bank to carry out a face-lift as a result of the work on the Tami Dye. It also secured a pledged investment of $40 million from the Indian Government.
Digital assembly
In mid-2019, Rivatex, reopened following major renovations and restructuring. As part of this effort, it opened a Digital Assembly Plant with the capacity to produce laptops, tablets, electric meters, smartphones and other digital devices.
Military
The city is host to the Moi Barracks for the Kenya Defence Forces. The barracks has a memorial for Kenyan soldiers killed in battle in
Somalia
Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...
. The city is also home to the
Kenya Ordnance Factories Corporation since 1997, a military installation that is the only manufacturer of small arms and ammunition in the region. Its customers include the Kenya Police, Wildlife Service, the Army, licensed dealers and carriers as well as friendly governments.
Fertilizer
The
Toyota Tsusho Corporation built Kenya's first full scale fertilizer blending factory at Ngeria on the outskirts of Eldoret. The $15 million plant has the capacity to produce 150,000 tonnes per year which is 25% of Kenya's 600,000 annual requirement.
Services
ICT
In early 2019,
Safaricom
Safaricom PLC is a listed Kenyan mobile network operator headquartered at Safaricom House in Nairobi, Kenya. It is the largest telecommunications provider in Kenya, and one of the most profitable companies in the East and Central Africa region. T ...
, Kenya's largest mobile network operator, set up its second largest call centre, and its first outside Nairobi, in Eldoret town. The Kshs 900 million facility provides employment to 800 individuals of whom 300 are paid interns from local universities.
The town is also home to the MGW site, located at Kapsoya, the first of Safaricom's data centre in the North Rift, set up in 2015.
Tourism
Eldoret has traditionally not been known as a tourist destination and does not have much to differentiate it from Kenya's other highland centres. Being Kenya's fifth-largest city however, it is a great deal bigger and serves as a base for touring the North-Rift circuit. The city has a decent variety of accommodation options, notably the Sirikwa Hotel, Poa Place and the ultra-modern Boma Inn as well as enough night-life options to interest one for an evening or two.
Surrounding region
![Koitalel Arap Samoei Museum](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Koitalel_Arap_Samoei_Museum.jpg)
The city and surrounding regions has also lately grown into a sports tourism destination thanks to a number of resident, renowned world runners and a high-altitude that makes the local area suitable for athletics training.
Notable attractions within easy distance of Eldoret include the
Nandi Hills area to the south, home of the
Nandi
Nandi may refer to:
People
* Nandy (surname), Indian surname
* Nandi (mother of Shaka) (1760–1827), daughter of Bhebe of the Langeni tribe
* Onandi Lowe (born 1974), Jamaican footballer nicknamed Nandi
* Nandi Bushell (born 2010), South Afri ...
, the fiercest early opponents to British rule. It is also the home of the
Chemosit, a crypto-beast that is said to devour human brains.
![Paraglading in elgeyo marakwet](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Paraglading_in_elgeyo_marakwet.jpg)
To the north lies the town of
Iten, capital of
Elgeyo Marakwet county and the world's foremost source of elite-middle and long distance runners. It is a popular destination for foreigners looking to hone their athletics talent and time at its high altitude training centres form part of a number of elite athletes training regimens. Notably, altitude training here was a key element of Mo farah's preparations before his 5000m and 10000m gold medals at London 2012 and World Championships 2013.
Elgeyo Marakwet is also increasingly gaining a global reputation as a paragliding destination. It has become the place to go to fly out-and-returns in January with world records across both distances having been set in the Kerio Valley in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
Retail
The city is home to many retail stores, supermarket chains and various malls, including Rupa Mall and Zion Mall. The city hosts various MSMEs located in various notable buildings such as Komora Centre, Zul Arcade, 64 Arcade, Kibogy Arcade, Tarita Centre, Jumbo House, Sugarland, Barngetuny, The Anchor and Kalyet City Mall.
Entertainment
Eldoret has a vibrant nightlife with many clubs found in the city centre such as Club Timba, Tamasha, TMT, Area 51, Club 411, Signature Club, Babel Club and the more upmarket Klique Hotel/Restaurant, Well Irish Pub and Zaika Lounge, the latter located at Rupas Mall.
Points of interest
Champions Monument
![Champions Monument, Eldoret](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Champions_Monument%2C_Eldoret.jpg)
The Champions Monument is situated at the junction of Kaptagat and Nairobi roads and was erected in honour of retired, elite and upcoming athletes in the country. The bronze monument, erected by Mediheal Group of Hospitals, depicts two female athletes and two male athletes attached on a world map running towards different directions. One of the males is holding an Olympic torch in one hand while the rest have their hands raised up as a sign of victory. It also has an image of a male athlete mounted on the top draped in the Kenyan flag.
Eldoret Daima Plaza
At 26 floors and tall, this is the tallest building in Kenya west of Nairobi and stands as a landmark of the town. It was built by the Moi University Pension Scheme and was opened in 2016.
Sirikwa Hotel
The territory of the bearers of the
Sirikwa culture
The Sirikwa culture was the predominant Kenyan hinterland culture of the Pastoral Iron Age, c.2000 BP. Seen to have developed out of the Elmenteitan culture of the East African Pastoral Neolithic c.3300-1200 BP, it was followed in much of its ...
, Kenya's predominant hinterland archaeological culture, extended over the Uasin Gishu plateau. This society experienced a cultural peak between the 12th to 15th centuries and persisted as a way of life to the 17th and 18th centuries. It declined and was superseded in Uasin Gishu by the
Uasin Gishu people The Uasin Gishu people were a community that inhabited a plateau located in western Kenya that today bears their name. They are said to have arisen from the scattering of the Kwavi by the Maasai in the 1830s. They were one of two significant sectio ...
who gave their name to the plateau. Studies indicate that the 'Sirikwa' kept cattle in sunken pens, which today form depressions commonly known as Sirikwa Holes. Some of these can be seen around Uasin Gishu though most are today overgrown with grass or have been tilled over. A well preserved example exists at Naiberi River Campsite located just out of town.
Wagon Hotel
The Wagon hotel is a local institution dating to the
Afrikaner
Afrikaners () are a South African ethnic group descended from Free Burghers, predominantly Dutch settlers first arriving at the Cape of Good Hope in the 17th and 18th centuries.Entry: Cape Colony. ''Encyclopædia Britannica Volume 4 Part 2: ...
period in Eldoret. The majority of Afrikaners who settled in Kenya made their home in Uasin Gishu, turning what was for many centuries prime pasture land into one Kenya's most productive agricultural zones. They made their way to Uasin Gishu in wagons and the hotel bears testament to the 'trek' made by those families as they sought a new home and as they built one. The hotel itself, was built in 1926 by these families as a recreational hub and is one of the oldest buildings in town. It has pictures of the wagons of the Great Treks — as the journeys from South Africa to Kenya were known then, and a dining area shaped like an elongated railway wagon with a looped roof. It also features a modern casino, the only one in the North Rift region.
Athletics Training Centre
Athletics is by far the most popular sport in the region with wins at the Olympics and World Athletics Championships as well as roadraces across the world having propelled many local residents to stardom and financial success. Current and future athletes can be seen training at the IAAF High Altitude Training Centre, the Kipchoge Keino stadium or even along the streets on most mornings.
Eldoret Club
![EldoretClubBreakfastRoom](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/EldoretClubBreakfastRoom.jpg)
Eldoret Club is a private members club that was established in 1924 on the edge of town. It is situated on large well-manicured grounds that house a clubhouse, a 9-hole golf course and a variety of other facilities.
Koromosho Falls
Located some away from Eldoret at a point where the River Sosiani plunges from the plateau and over a granite escarpment. It was also a site of the ancient practice of Sheu Morobi where very old members of the Nandi community would jump to their deaths for a variety of reasons including loneliness and so as not to burden the community.
Poa Place
This is a notable resort in the town and features a wide variety of accommodation, food and amusements.
Education
Catholic University of East Africa
Eldoret is home to
Moi University
Moi University is a public university located in Kesses, Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu county, in the former Rift Valley Province of Kenya. It was established in 1984 by the Moi University Act of the Parliament of Kenya, after recommendations from ...
. Though the university's main campus is located about away in Kesess, located due South, four of its campuses are within the city limits of Eldoret. These campuses are;Annex Campus (School of Law), Town Campus( School of Medicine and School of dental sciences), Rivatex Campus (School of aeronautical engineering) and Eldoret West campus (for privately sponsored students) a student population of 14,855 as of 2006.
The
University of Eldoret
University of Eldoret is one of the 22 public universities in Kenya and situated approximately 9 km along the Eldoret-Ziwa road in Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu County. It was founded in 1946 by the white settlers as a Large Scale Farmers Tr ...
is the second largest university in the city having been awarded its charter in 2013. Its main campus is located within the city limits to the north of the town.
Other universities with campuses in the town include Catholic University of East Africa, Jomo Kenyatta University, University of Nairobi, University of East Africa - Baraton, Kabarak University, Mount Kenya University and Kisii University
The city also is home to many technical and vocational institutes including
Rift Valley Technical Training Institute
Rift Valley Technical Training institute (RVTTI) is a public technical training institute located in the highland city of Eldoret, Kenya. It is one of the Technical Training Institutes in Kenya. The institution offers Artisan, Craft, Diploma and H ...
, Eldoret National Polytechnic, African Institute for Research and Applied Studies.
Health
There are a number of medical facilities in the city, notably
Moi Teaching & Referral Hospital; The only referral national hospital in western Kenya. The county has the Uasin Gishu District Hospital, and there are several private institutions: St. Luke Orthopaedic And Trauma Hospital, Eldoret Hospital, Mediheal Hospital, Eldoret Oncology Associates Cancer Hospital, Reale Hospital, Alexandria Cancer Centre and Palliative Care Hospital and Elgon View Hospital among others.
In 2015, East & Central Africa's first public children's hospital, The
Shoe4Africa Children's Hospital, a 200-bed general teaching hospital, was opened, behind the Moi Referral.
Also in 2015, a new out patient cancer treatment centre was opened at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, funded principally by Ruth Lily, an American philanthropist. It has been named after the businessman, Manu Chandaria, a later funder, and is now known as The Chandaria Cancer and Chronic Disease Centre.
Sport
Eldoret, in particular the Elgon View area, is the hometown of numerous Kenyan runners, the most renowned of whom is
Kipchoge Keino
Kipchoge Hezekiah Keino (born 17 January 1940) is a retired Kenyan track and field athlete. He was the chairman of the Kenyan Olympic Committee (KOC) until 29 September 2017. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, Keino was among the first in a lon ...
and
Eliud Kipchoge
Eliud Kipchoge ( ; born 5 November 1984) is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in the marathon and formerly specialized at the 5000 metre distance. Widely regarded as the greatest marathon runner of all time, he is the 2016 and 2020 ...
. The high altitude is an ideal training ground for many middle and long distance athletes.
Kipchoge Keino Stadium
Kipchoge Keino Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Eldoret, Kenya. It is named after the athlete Kipchoge Keino. It holds 10,000 people.
In 2007, the Kenyan Government allocated KSh.100 million/= for the upgrade of the stadium, which had fa ...
is the town's main stadium and is a multi-use stadium with a capacity of 10,000 people. The stadium is used for athletic meetings and hosts local football teams including
Rivatex
Rivatex was an association football club based in Eldoret, Kenya
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and Eldoret KCC. The stadium fell into disrepair and was refurbished beginning in 2007 when the Kenyan Government allocated Ksh100 million for its upgrade. It is currently (2018) undergoing a major expansion and renovation.
Eldoret Falcons is a women's football team that represents the city in the nationwide league while Eldoret RFC is a men's rugby team in the nationwide league. The city has also been a popular stage in the KCB Safari Rally.
The city is home to the
Eldoret City Marathon, whose $35,000 winners purse during its second edition in 2019 made it the richest marathon race in Africa. The event is organised by the Uasin Gishu county government and is patronized by the County Governor, H.E Jackson Mandago and Moses Tanui.
The city is also host to a leg of the annual national sevens circuit rugby tournament being one of the six cities that make up the circuit. The Eldoret leg is played in June and referred to as the
Sepetuka Sevens. It is extremely popular and brings the city to a halt for the entire weekend with fans coming into the city from all over the country.
Eldoret is also home to the
International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)'s High Altitude Training Centre for Kenyan and international athletes.
Eldoret Club, a golf club is located a short distance from its CBD.
Infrastructure
Transport
Airports
![Main lounge at Eldoret International Airport](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Main_lounge_at_Eldoret_International_Airport.jpg)
The City of Eldoret is served by two aerodromes, Eldoret International Airport and Eldoret Airstrip.
Eldoret International Airport
Eldoret Airport is an international airport in Kenya.
Location
Eldoret Airport, , is located in the city of Eldoret, in Uasin Gishu County, in the midwestern Kenya, close to the International border with Uganda. Its location is approximately ...
is a regional airport approximately from Eldoret city. It has daily scheduled flights to Nairobi and
Lodwar
Lodwar is the largest town in north-western Kenya, located west of Lake Turkana on the A1 road. Its main industries are basket weaving and tourism. The Loima Hills lie to its west. Lodwar is the capital of Turkana County. The town has a popula ...
and weekly international cargo flights operated by
Emirates
Emirates may refer to:
* United Arab Emirates, a Middle Eastern country
* Emirate, any territory ruled by an emir
** Gulf emirates, emirates located on the Persian Gulf
** Emirates of the United Arab Emirates, the individual emirates
* The Emirat ...
and
Etihad Airways. Situated at above sea level, the airport has a single
asphalt
Asphalt, also known as bitumen (, ), is a sticky, black, highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. It may be found in natural deposits or may be a refined product, and is classed as a pitch. Before the 20th century, the term a ...
runway that measures in length.
Four domestic airline companies operate in this airport:
Fly 540,
Jambojet
Jambojet Limited is a Kenyan low-cost airline that started operations on 1 April 2014. It is a subsidiary of Kenya Airways and is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.
History
Willem Alexander Hondius was appointed as CEO in September 2013, repo ...
, Skyward Express and Silverstone Air.
The Eldoret Airstrip, also known as the Eldoret Boma Airport, is a small airstrip located within Eldoret city on the Eldoret Iten road. It has an elevation of 7,050 ft above sea level and a single runway measuring . The county government of
Uasin Gishu took over operations of the Eldoret airstrip in July 201
Roads
![Vehicles leaving Eldoret town, Kenya](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Vehicles_leaving_Eldoret_town%2C_Kenya.jpg)
The Trans-African highway passes through the city central business district.
Railway
The city is also served by the Kenya-Uganda railway.
Power
The French renewable energy firm Voltalia is building a 40-megawatt (MW) solar plant for compatriot Kenya-based French solar firm Alten Africa in Kesses, Eldoret. Once it goes into commercial operation, scheduled for March 2020, approximately 123.6GWh of clean electricity will be injected into the grid every year, enough to meet the annual energy consumption needs of over 824,000 Kenyans.
[French firm to build 40MW solar plant in Eldoret, Business Dail]
online
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Oil pipelines
The Kenya Pipeline Company
Kenya Pipeline Company (''KPC'') is a state corporation that has the responsibility of transporting, storing and delivering petroleum products to the consumers of Kenya by its pipeline system and oil depot network.
Overview
The Kenya Pipelin ...
operates a pipeline that passes through the city. It is connected to the refinery at the coastal city of Mombasa
Mombasa ( ; ) is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean. It was the first capital of the British East Africa, before Nairobi was elevated to capital city status. It now serves as the capital of Mombasa County. The town is ...
and extends further from Eldoret to the lakeside city of Kisumu
Kisumu ( ) is the List of cities and towns in Kenya by population, third-largest city in Kenya after the capital, Nairobi, and the coastal city of Mombasa (census 2019). It is the third-largest city after Kampala and Mwanza in the Lake Victor ...
. One of 5 national oil depots is located in the city.
Sister cities
Eldoret is a sister city
A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
While there are early examples of inter ...
of:
References
External links
{{Authority control
Populated places in Uasin Gishu County
Cities in the Great Rift Valley
Populated places founded by Afrikaners
County capitals in Kenya