Nakuru County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

. It is County number 32 out of the 47 Kenyan Counties. Nakuru County is a host to Kenya's Forth City – Nakuru City. On 1 December 2021, President

Uhuru Kenyatta Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta (born 26 October 1961) is a Kenyan politician who served as the fourth president of Kenya from 2013 to 2022. Kenyatta was chosen by Daniel Arap Moi as his preferred successor, but Kenyatta was defeated by opposition le ...

awarded a City Charter status to

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 ...

, ranking it with

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 ...

, and

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 ...

as the cities in

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

. With a population of 2,162,202 (2019 census), it is the third most populous county in Kenya after

Nairobi County Nairobi City County is one of the 47 counties of Kenya. With a population of 4,397,073 in the 2019 census, it is the third smallest yet the most populous of the counties, also serving as the capital of Kenya. In 2013, the county entity was effe ...

and

Kiambu County Kiambu County is a county in the former Central Province of Kenya. Its capital is Kiambu and its largest town is Thika. Kiambu County is the second most populous after Nairobi County. Kiambu County borders Nairobi and Kajiado Counties to the S ...

, in that order. With an area of 7,496.5 km², it is Kenya's 19th largest county in size. Until 21 August 2010, it formed part of

Rift Valley Province Rift Valley Province ( sw, Mkoa wa Bonde la Ufa) of Kenya, bordering Uganda, was one of Kenya's eight provinces, before the Kenyan general election, 2013. Rift Valley Province was the largest and one of the most economically important provinces i ...

Population

Sites of interest

Nakuru County is home to

Lake Nakuru Lake Nakuru is one of the Rift Valley lakes at an elevation of above sea level. It lies to the south of Nakuru, in the rift valley of Kenya and is protected by Lake Nakuru National Park. The lake's abundance of algae used to attract a vast qu ...

, Lake Elmenteita and

Lake Naivasha Lake Naivasha is a freshwater lake in Kenya, outside the town of Naivasha in Nakuru County, which lies north west of Nairobi. It is part of the Great Rift Valley. The name derives from the local Maasai name ''Nai'posha'', meaning "rough wate ...

, which are 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 recognizable due to the continually shifting mass of pink. The number of flamingos 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 Menengai Crater is a massive shield volcano with one of the biggest calderas in the world, in the Great Rift Valley, Kenya. It is the largest volcano caldera in Kenya and the second largest volcano caldera in Africa. Volcanic formed rich loam so ...

Crater, an extinct volcano 2,490 m (8,167 ft) high, and the

Nakuru National Park 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 ...

which is a wildlife zone. The views of the crater itself, as well as the surrounding countryside, are spectacular.

Hyrax Hill Hyrax Hill is a prehistoric site near Nakuru in the Rift Valley province of Kenya. It is a rocky spur roughly half a kilometer in length, with an elevation of 1,900 meters above sea level at its summit. The site was first discovered in 1926 by L ...

Prehistoric Site, discovered by the Leakeys in 1926, is considered a major

Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...

and

Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...

site. The adjoining museum features are from various nearby excavations. The second-largest surviving volcanic crater in the world, the

Menengai Crater Menengai Crater is a massive shield volcano with one of the biggest calderas in the world, in the Great Rift Valley, Kenya. It is the largest volcano caldera in Kenya and the second largest volcano caldera in Africa. Volcanic formed rich loam so ...

is 2500 meters above sea level at its highest point. The crater plunges 500 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. Th
Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology
is a tourist attraction. It is a giant institute established in 1979 by the leaders and people of Rift Valley.

Urban areas

Surrounding towns include Lanet, which lies approximately 10 km from Nakuru. Lanet is predominantly a residential town and is home to an army base.

Njoro Njoro is an agricultural town 18 km west south west of Nakuru, Kenya situated on the western rim of the Rift Valley. Njoro town was the headquarters of the former Njoro District, hived off Nakuru District. Since 2010, when Njoro District was ...

is another urban town that lies 20 km in the outskirts of Nakuru, and is a small agricultural town with a local university aimed at promoting agricultural development in

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

, namely

Egerton University Egerton University is a public university in Kenya. It is the oldest institution of higher education in Kenya. Location The main campus of the university is located in Njoro, a small community approximately , southwest of the town of Nakuru. T ...

(est. 1934). Naivasha is another major significant urban Centre in Nakuru County, which sits at the floor of the Great Rift Valley and serves as a major transit of goods. Travelers passing through Naivasha usually make stopovers along Naivasha – Nakuru Highway to enjoy the beautiful and scenic escarpments of the Great Rift Valley.

Urban Centres

Quiet dusk over Lake Naivasha (5232083375)

The county has eleven constituencies: *

Naivasha Constituency Naivasha Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of eleven constituencies in Nakuru County Nakuru County is a county in Kenya. It is County number 32 out of the 47 Kenyan Counties. Nakuru County is a host to Kenya's Forth ...

represented by Hon. Jayne Wanjiru Njeri – United Democratic Alliance (UDA) *

Nakuru Town West Constituency Nakuru Town West is a constituency in Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates ...

represented by Hon.

Samuel Arama Samuel Arama is a Kenyan politician who has served as a member of the National Assembly for the Nakuru Town West constituency since 2013. He is a member of the Jubilee Party, having previously represented the Orange Democratic Movement. Early ...

– Jubilee Party *

Nakuru Town East Constituency Nakuru Town East is a constituency in Kenya. It is one of eleven constituencies in Nakuru County. It was created in 2010 after Nakuru Town Constituency Nakuru Town Constituency is a former electoral constituency in Kenya. The constituency was e ...

represented by Hon. David Gikaria – United Democratic Alliance (UDA) *

Kuresoi South Constituency Kuresoi South is a List of constituencies of Kenya, constituency in Kenya. Part of the former constituency of Kuresoi Community, it is one of eleven constituencies in Nakuru County. The Constituency is further divided into four wards namely; Amalo ...

Hon. Joseph Kipkosgei Tonui – United Democratic Alliance (UDA) * Kuresoi North Constituency Hon. Mutai Alfred Kiprono – United Democratic Alliance (UDA) *

Molo Constituency Molo Constituency is an Constituencies of Kenya, electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of eleven constituencies in Nakuru County. The constituency was established for the 1988 elections, renamed from the former Nakuru West Constituency. Membe ...

represented by Hon. Francis Kuria Kimani – United Democratic Alliance (UDA) *

Rongai Constituency Rongai Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of eleven constituencies in Nakuru County. The constituency has eight wards, all electing councillors for the Nakuru County Assembly. The constituency was established for the 1988 ...

represented by Hon. Paul Chebor – United Democratic Alliance (UDA) * Subukia Constituency represented by Hon. Samuel Kinuthia Gachobe – United Democratic Alliance (UDA) * Njoro Constituency represented by Hon. Charity Kathambi Chepkwony – United Democratic Alliance (UDA) * Gilgil Constituency represented by Hon. Martha Wangari Wanjira – United Democratic Alliance (UDA) * Bahati Constituency represented by Hon. Irene Njoki – Jubilee Party 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 300,000 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 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 ...

) and

Kalenjin Kalenjin may refer to: * Kalenjin people The Kalenjin are a group of tribes designated as Highland Nilotes and are descended from Maliri people ''(thus related to Daasanach of Ethiopia.)'' The Kalenjin are cousins with Datooga people of Tan ...

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 The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) of Kenya is a government agency. It is intended to address and reduce inter-ethnic conflicts. The Commission was created by the National Cohesion and Integration Act (no.12 of 2008) following ...

and the National Steering Committee on Peace Building and Conflict Management

Notable residents

* Carole Kariuki, businesswoman and executive

References

External links

Nakuru County Directory KenyaOffice for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs – Kenya AdminLevels 1-4
{{Authority control Counties of Kenya

Population

Sites of interest

Urban areas

Urban Centres

Nakuru County Peace Accord

Notable residents

See also

References

External links