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Wikipedia

Eldoret

Eldoret is a principal town in the Rift Valley region of Kenya and serves as the capital of Uasin Gishu County. The town was referred to by white settlers as Farm 64, 64 and colloquially by locals as 'Sisibo'.[2] As per the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census,[3] Eldoret is the fifth most populated urban area in the country after Kenya's 4 cities of Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Nakuru.[4] Lying south of the Cherangani Hills, the local elevation varies from about 2,100 metres (6,900 ft) at the airport to more than 2,700 metres (8,900 ft) in nearby areas. The population was 289,380 in the 2009 Census,[1][5] 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,[6] but was edged out by Nakuru in 2021.[7]

Eldoret
Sisibo or Farm '64'
Skyline of Eldoret, facing west from atop Eldoret Daima Towers
Motto: 
City of Champions
Eldoret
Location in Kenya
Coordinates: 0°31′N 35°17′E / 0.517°N 35.283°E / 0.517; 35.283Coordinates: 0°31′N 35°17′E / 0.517°N 35.283°E / 0.517; 35.283
Country Kenya
CountyUasin Gishu County
Government
 • TypeConsolidated-County Government
Elevation
7,200 ft (2,200 m)
Population
 (2019)
 • Total475,716[1]
Time zoneUTC+3 (EAT)
 • Summer (DST)NO
Post code, Postal code
30100
Area code+254 53
ClimateCfb
Websitewww.uasingishu.go.ke

Etymology

The name "Eldoret" is based on the Maasai word "eldore" meaning "stony river"; a reference to the bed of the Sosiani River (a tributary of the Nile), that runs through the city.[8]

History

Eldoret and the plateau around it had been occupied by the Sirikwa for several centuries prior to the era of Maasai ascendancy.[9] 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, 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 Afrikaners left Nakuru for the Uasin Gishu plateau after a journey from South Africa by sea and by rail from Mombasa. Led by Jan van Rensburg, they traveled using wagons that would often get stuck in mud, finally arriving at Sergoit Hill [1] on 22 October of that year. Jan Ernest Kruger would later own the 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres) 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 320 and 2,020 hectares (800 and 5,000 acres) 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.[10]

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 103 kilometres (64 mi) from the newly built Uganda Railway railhead at Kibigori.[11] 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.[12] 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.

 
Kenya's first president, Jomo Kenyatta, opens the Eldoret Agricultural Show in 1968.

The Uganda Railway extension, from Kibigori toward Uganda, 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.[12]

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)[13] and the latter, to Hill School.[14] 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 was born in the neighboring Baringo District, and under his presidency, the town was developed further. The country's second institution of higher learning, Moi University, 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[15] 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 was murdered about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) 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,[16] mostly Kikuyu, were burnt to death.

William Ruto the current President of the Republic of Kenya was born in Kamagut Ward of Turbo Constituency that straddles Eldoret town. He has previously represented Eldoret North Constituency in parliament.

Climate

Eldoret has a subtropical highland climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb). The city, lying over 2,000 m (6,600 ft) 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.

Climate data for Eldoret (2120 m), Kenya (1941-1968, Records: 1930-1968)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 29.5
(85.1)
29.1
(84.4)
30.6
(87.1)
28.9
(84.0)
27.8
(82.0)
28.0
(82.4)
27.2
(81.0)
25.2
(77.4)
27.0
(80.6)
27.2
(81.0)
27.3
(81.1)
27.5
(81.5)
30.6
(87.1)
Average high °C (°F) 25.3
(77.5)
26.0
(78.8)
25.9
(78.6)
24.5
(76.1)
23.5
(74.3)
22.7
(72.9)
21.4
(70.5)
21.8
(71.2)
23.3
(73.9)
23.9
(75.0)
23.7
(74.7)
23.9
(75.0)
23.8
(74.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) 17.1
(62.8)
17.6
(63.7)
18.0
(64.4)
17.0
(62.6)
16.9
(62.4)
15.9
(60.6)
15.5
(59.9)
15.7
(60.3)
16.0
(60.8)
16.9
(62.4)
17.0
(62.6)
16.8
(62.2)
16.7
(62.1)
Average low °C (°F) 8.5
(47.3)
8.8
(47.8)
9.7
(49.5)
8.9
(48.0)
10.3
(50.5)
9.0
(48.2)
9.4
(48.9)
9.3
(48.7)
8.6
(47.5)
9.5
(49.1)
10.1
(50.2)
9.4
(48.9)
9.3
(48.7)
Record low °C (°F) 1.6
(34.9)
2.6
(36.7)
3.4
(38.1)
5.0
(41.0)
4.9
(40.8)
1.1
(34.0)
2.8
(37.0)
5.0
(41.0)
4.4
(39.9)
1.1
(34.0)
2.2
(36.0)
3.6
(38.5)
1.1
(34.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 29
(1.1)
40
(1.6)
57
(2.2)
150
(5.9)
124
(4.9)
104
(4.1)
172
(6.8)
196
(7.7)
87
(3.4)
48
(1.9)
50
(2.0)
46
(1.8)
1,103
(43.4)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 5 5 8 15 15 13 19 21 11 9 9 7 137
Average relative humidity (%) 57 57 59 70 73 76 76 78 70 65 67 62 68
Mean monthly sunshine hours 276 260 267 243 233 228 183 180 225 242 222 273 2,832
Source 1: Deutscher Wetterdienst[17]
Source 2: Danish Meteorological Institute[18]

Population

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1969 18,196—    
1979 50,503+177.6%
1989 111,882+121.5%
1999 167,016+49.3%
2009 252,061+50.9%
2019475,716+88.7%
source:[19]

Local governance

Eldoret is governed by the County Government of Uasin 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, Three (Hospital, Kapsoya and Kimumu/Sergoit) are in Eldoret East Constituency, and the remaining four (Kipkenyo, Langas, Pioneer/Elgon View and Race Course) are part of Eldoret South Constituency. All of these three constituencies have more wards within other local authorities than Eldoret municipality.[20]

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, 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

 
Large wheat plantation near Eldoret. Sergoit hill seen in the background

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.[21]

The city is home to a large market and is known for the Doinyo Lessos cheese factory, Moi University and Eldoret International Airport. 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 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.[22]

Another notable textile firm is Rivatex EA which was opened in 1975 by then Vice President, Daniel Toroitich arap Moi as Rift Valley Textiles (Rivatex), a parastatal 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.[23]

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.[23][24]

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.[23]

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.[24] 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.[23]

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.[25]

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. 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.[26] The $15 million plant has the capacity to produce 150,000 tonnes per year which is 25% of Kenya's 600,000 annual requirement.[27]

Services

ICT

In early 2019, Safaricom, Kenya's largest mobile network operator, set up its second largest call centre, and its first outside Nairobi,[28] in Eldoret town. The Kshs 900 million facility provides employment to 800 individuals of whom 300 are paid interns from local universities.[29]

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.[30]

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,[31] Poa Place[32] and the ultra-modern Boma Inn[33] as well as enough night-life options to interest one for an evening or two.[34]

Surrounding region

 
Koitalel Arap Samoei Mausoleum and Museum in Nandi Hills; a historic monument located close to Eldoret

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.[21]

Notable attractions within easy distance of Eldoret include the Nandi Hills area to the south, home of the Nandi, 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.[34]

 
Paraglading in Elgeyo Marakwet

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[35] 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.[36]

Elgeyo Marakwet is also increasingly gaining a global reputation as a paragliding destination. It has become the place to go to fly 100–200 km (62–124 mi) out-and-returns in January with world records across both distances having been set in the Kerio Valley in 2013 and 2014 respectively.[37]

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 located in Eldoret, Kenya

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.[38]

Eldoret Daima Plaza

At 26 floors and 70 metres (230 ft) 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[39] and was opened in 2016.[40]

Sirikwa Hotel

The territory of the bearers of the Sirikwa culture, 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 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 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.[41]

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

 
The breakfast room at Eldoret Club, overlooking the golf course

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.[42]

Koromosho Falls

Located some 25 kilometres (16 mi) away from Eldoret at a point where the River Sosiani plunges 70 metres (230 ft) 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.[43]

Poa Place

This is a notable resort in the town and features a wide variety of accommodation, food and amusements.[44]

Education

 
Catholic University of East Africa

Eldoret is home to Moi University. Though the university's main campus is located about 30 kilometres (19 mi) 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 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, 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.[45]

Sport

Eldoret, in particular the Elgon View area, is the hometown of numerous Kenyan runners, the most renowned of whom is Kipchoge Keino and Eliud Kipchoge. The high altitude is an ideal training ground for many middle and long distance athletes.

 
KCB Safari rally

Kipchoge Keino Stadium 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 and Eldoret KCC. The stadium fell into disrepair and was refurbished beginning in 2007 when the Kenyan Government allocated Ksh100 million for its upgrade.[46] 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.[47] The event is organised by the Uasin Gishu county government and is patronized by the County Governor, H.E Jackson Mandago and Moses Tanui.[48]

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

 
Entry to the main lounge of Eldoret International Airport

The City of Eldoret is served by two aerodromes, Eldoret International Airport and Eldoret Airstrip.

Eldoret International Airport is a regional airport approximately 14 km (8.7 mi) from Eldoret city. It has daily scheduled flights to Nairobi and Lodwar and weekly international cargo flights operated by Emirates and Etihad Airways. Situated at 6,941 feet (2,116 m) above sea level,[49] the airport has a single asphalt runway that measures 3,475 metres (11,401 ft) in length.[50]

Four domestic airline companies operate in this airport: Fly 540, Jambojet, 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 1,130 metres (3,710 ft). The county government of Uasin Gishu took over operations of the Eldoret airstrip in July 2015 [2]

Roads

 
Vehicles leaving Eldoret, near Sosiani primary school.

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.[51]

Oil pipelines

The Kenya Pipeline Company operates a pipeline that passes through the city. It is connected to the refinery at the coastal city of Mombasa and extends further from Eldoret to the lakeside city of Kisumu. One of 5 national oil depots is located in the city.

Sister cities

Eldoret is a sister city of:

Country City County/District/Province/Region/State Date
  Germany Bad Vilbel Hessen 1982[52]
  USA Minneapolis Minnesota 2000[53]
  USA Indianapolis Indiana 2007[54]
  USA Ithaca New York 2007[55]

References

  1. ^ a b (PDF). Kenya.usaid.gov. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 February 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  2. ^ "Eldoret, Kenya".
  3. ^ ArcGIS Hub.
  4. ^ Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (21 February 2020). 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Volume II: Distribution of Population by Administrative Units (Report). Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. p. 241. Retrieved 3 March 2020. cDistribution of Population by Urbn Centres Nairobi City: 4,397,073; Mombasa: 1,208,333; Nakuru: 570,674; Ruiru: 371,111; Eldoret: 475,716; Kisumu: 610,957
  5. ^ "Population of Local Authorities" (with towns), Government of Kenya, 1999, GovtKenya-Population-PDF[permanent dead link].
  6. ^ "Eldoret steps up the pace in fourth Kenyan city race". 17 November 2021.
  7. ^ Matara, Eric (1 December 2021). "Nakuru becomes Kenya's fourth city". The East African. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
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  10. ^ Retief, Ronaldo (2014). Afrikaners trek to East Africa, Old Africa: Stories from East Africa's Past (Issue 55), p. 14-15
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  13. ^ http://moigirlseldoret.ac.ke
  14. ^ http://www.mccrow.org.uk/EastAfrica/Hill_School_now/Hill%20School%20Eldoret%20Kenya[permanent dead link]
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  16. ^ 40 to 80 people
  17. ^ "Klimatafel von Eldoret / Kenia" (PDF). Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
  18. ^ (PDF). Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate. Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  19. ^ Eldoret population statistics
  20. ^ Electoral Commission of Kenya: Registration centres by electoral area and constituency 28 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ a b . Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  22. ^ "About Us".
  23. ^ a b c d Olingo, A. The rise, fall and rise again of Rivatex, firm that now holds patent for Tami dye, 10 March 2016
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  25. ^ Rivatex roars back to life as production line is launched, Standard online
  26. ^ Toyota Tsusho online
  27. ^ Standard Media online
  28. ^ Eldoret rises from post-poll chaos to become regional hub, Daily Nation, 4 April 2019 online
  29. ^ Safaricom’s Sh900m hub signals hundreds of jobs, Business Daily, 18 March 2019, online
  30. ^ Kenya: Safaricom reveals new data centre for Eldoret, ITNewsAfrica online
  31. ^ http://www.sirikwahotel.com/
  32. ^ http://poaplace.co.ke/
  33. ^ . Archived from the original on 13 April 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  34. ^ a b "Western Kenya Travel Guide | What to do in Western Kenya".
  35. ^ Dabbs, Brian (1 May 2012). "Paths to the Marathon in a Small Kenyan Town". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  36. ^ British athletes with altitude look to follow in Mo Farah’s footsteps, online
  37. ^ Two Paragliding out-and-return speed world records set in Kenya's Kerio Valley, online
  38. ^ Daily Nation, Monument unveiled in Eldoret to honour athletes online
  39. ^ MUPS online 29 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine
  40. ^ Eldoret Leo online
  41. ^ Bii, Barnabas (26 August 2019). "Eldoret's Wagon Hotel: Where Boers thronged for recreation". Daily Nation. Nairobi. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  42. ^ Softkenya online
  43. ^ Nation News online
  44. ^ Daily Nation, online
  45. ^ Ampath News
  46. ^ http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=45497[permanent dead link] Kenya Broadcasting Corporation – Government to upgrade Kipchoge Keino stadium
  47. ^ Eldoret City marathon winners to pocket Sh3.5m, Standard Media, 12 March 2019 online
  48. ^ Brief History of Eldoret City Marathon, Eldoret City Marathon online
  49. ^ Elevation of Eldoret Airport Runway
  50. ^ Length of Eldoret Airport Runway
  51. ^ French firm to build 40MW solar plant in Eldoret, Business Daily online
  52. ^ "Bad Vilbel – Stadt der Quellen". Bad-vilbel.de. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  53. ^ . Archived from the original on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  54. ^ (PDF). Indy.gov. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  55. ^ "The Rift Makes Ithaca Shift". HepsTrack.com. HepsTrack, LLC. 31 March 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2014.

External links

eldoret, this, article, uses, bare, urls, which, uninformative, vulnerable, link, please, consider, converting, them, full, citations, ensure, article, remains, verifiable, maintains, consistent, citation, style, several, templates, tools, available, assist, f. This article uses bare URLs which are uninformative and vulnerable to link rot Please consider converting them to full citations to ensure the article remains verifiable and maintains a consistent citation style Several templates and tools are available to assist in formatting such as Reflinks documentation reFill documentation and Citation bot documentation August 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Eldoret is a principal town in the Rift Valley region of Kenya and serves as the capital of Uasin Gishu County The town was referred to by white settlers as Farm 64 64 and colloquially by locals as Sisibo 2 As per the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census 3 Eldoret is the fifth most populated urban area in the country after Kenya s 4 cities of Nairobi Mombasa Kisumu and Nakuru 4 Lying south of the Cherangani Hills the local elevation varies from about 2 100 metres 6 900 ft at the airport to more than 2 700 metres 8 900 ft in nearby areas The population was 289 380 in the 2009 Census 1 5 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 6 but was edged out by Nakuru in 2021 7 Eldoret Sisibo or Farm 64 MunicipalitySkyline of Eldoret facing west from atop Eldoret Daima TowersMotto City of ChampionsEldoretLocation in KenyaCoordinates 0 31 N 35 17 E 0 517 N 35 283 E 0 517 35 283 Coordinates 0 31 N 35 17 E 0 517 N 35 283 E 0 517 35 283Country KenyaCountyUasin Gishu CountyGovernment TypeConsolidated County GovernmentElevation7 200 ft 2 200 m Population 2019 Total475 716 1 Time zoneUTC 3 EAT Summer DST NOPost code Postal code30100Area code 254 53ClimateCfbWebsitewww uasingishu go ke Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 3 Climate 4 Population 5 Local governance 5 1 Suburbs 6 Economy 6 1 Industries 6 1 1 Textiles 6 1 2 Digital assembly 6 1 3 Military 6 1 4 Fertilizer 6 2 Services 6 2 1 ICT 6 2 2 Tourism 6 2 3 Surrounding region 6 2 4 Retail 6 2 5 Entertainment 7 Points of interest 7 1 Champions Monument 7 2 Eldoret Daima Plaza 7 3 Sirikwa Hotel 7 4 Wagon Hotel 7 5 Athletics Training Centre 7 6 Eldoret Club 7 7 Koromosho Falls 7 8 Poa Place 8 Education 9 Health 10 Sport 11 Infrastructure 11 1 Transport 11 1 1 Airports 11 1 2 Roads 11 1 3 Railway 11 1 4 Power 11 1 5 Oil pipelines 12 Sister cities 13 References 14 External linksEtymology EditThe name Eldoret is based on the Maasai word eldore meaning stony river a reference to the bed of the Sosiani River a tributary of the Nile that runs through the city 8 History EditEldoret and the plateau around it had been occupied by the Sirikwa for several centuries prior to the era of Maasai ascendancy 9 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 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 Afrikaners left Nakuru for the Uasin Gishu plateau after a journey from South Africa by sea and by rail from Mombasa Led by Jan van Rensburg they traveled using wagons that would often get stuck in mud finally arriving at Sergoit Hill 1 on 22 October of that year Jan Ernest Kruger would later own the 2 000 hectares 5 000 acres 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 320 and 2 020 hectares 800 and 5 000 acres 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 10 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 103 kilometres 64 mi from the newly built Uganda Railway railhead at Kibigori 11 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 12 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 Kenya s first president Jomo Kenyatta opens the Eldoret Agricultural Show in 1968 The Uganda Railway extension from Kibigori toward Uganda 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 12 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 13 and the latter to Hill School 14 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 was born in the neighboring Baringo District and under his presidency the town was developed further The country s second institution of higher learning Moi University 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 15 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 was murdered about 10 kilometres 6 2 mi 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 16 mostly Kikuyu were burnt to death William Ruto the current President of the Republic of Kenya was born in Kamagut Ward of Turbo Constituency that straddles Eldoret town He has previously represented Eldoret North Constituency in parliament Climate EditEldoret has a subtropical highland climate Koppen climate classification Cfb The city lying over 2 000 m 6 600 ft 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 Climate data for Eldoret 2120 m Kenya 1941 1968 Records 1930 1968 Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high C F 29 5 85 1 29 1 84 4 30 6 87 1 28 9 84 0 27 8 82 0 28 0 82 4 27 2 81 0 25 2 77 4 27 0 80 6 27 2 81 0 27 3 81 1 27 5 81 5 30 6 87 1 Average high C F 25 3 77 5 26 0 78 8 25 9 78 6 24 5 76 1 23 5 74 3 22 7 72 9 21 4 70 5 21 8 71 2 23 3 73 9 23 9 75 0 23 7 74 7 23 9 75 0 23 8 74 8 Daily mean C F 17 1 62 8 17 6 63 7 18 0 64 4 17 0 62 6 16 9 62 4 15 9 60 6 15 5 59 9 15 7 60 3 16 0 60 8 16 9 62 4 17 0 62 6 16 8 62 2 16 7 62 1 Average low C F 8 5 47 3 8 8 47 8 9 7 49 5 8 9 48 0 10 3 50 5 9 0 48 2 9 4 48 9 9 3 48 7 8 6 47 5 9 5 49 1 10 1 50 2 9 4 48 9 9 3 48 7 Record low C F 1 6 34 9 2 6 36 7 3 4 38 1 5 0 41 0 4 9 40 8 1 1 34 0 2 8 37 0 5 0 41 0 4 4 39 9 1 1 34 0 2 2 36 0 3 6 38 5 1 1 34 0 Average precipitation mm inches 29 1 1 40 1 6 57 2 2 150 5 9 124 4 9 104 4 1 172 6 8 196 7 7 87 3 4 48 1 9 50 2 0 46 1 8 1 103 43 4 Average precipitation days 0 2 mm 5 5 8 15 15 13 19 21 11 9 9 7 137Average relative humidity 57 57 59 70 73 76 76 78 70 65 67 62 68Mean monthly sunshine hours 276 260 267 243 233 228 183 180 225 242 222 273 2 832Source 1 Deutscher Wetterdienst 17 Source 2 Danish Meteorological Institute 18 Population EditHistorical populationYearPop 196918 196 197950 503 177 6 1989111 882 121 5 1999167 016 49 3 2009252 061 50 9 2019475 716 88 7 source 19 Local governance EditEldoret is governed by the County Government of Uasin 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 Three Hospital Kapsoya and Kimumu Sergoit are in Eldoret East Constituency and the remaining four Kipkenyo Langas Pioneer Elgon View and Race Course are part of Eldoret South Constituency All of these three constituencies have more wards within other local authorities than Eldoret municipality 20 Suburbs Edit 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 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 Edit Large wheat plantation near Eldoret Sergoit hill seen in the background 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 21 The city is home to a large market and is known for the Doinyo Lessos cheese factory Moi University and Eldoret International Airport 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 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 amp Company Advocates Nyaundi Tuiyott amp Company Advocates Kalya amp Company Advocates Chebii and Company Advocates and Gicheru amp Company Advocates Industries Edit Textiles Edit 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 22 Another notable textile firm is Rivatex EA which was opened in 1975 by then Vice President Daniel Toroitich arap Moi as Rift Valley Textiles Rivatex a parastatal 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 23 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 23 24 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 23 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 24 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 23 Digital assembly Edit 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 25 Military Edit 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 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 Edit The Toyota Tsusho Corporation built Kenya s first full scale fertilizer blending factory at Ngeria on the outskirts of Eldoret 26 The 15 million plant has the capacity to produce 150 000 tonnes per year which is 25 of Kenya s 600 000 annual requirement 27 Services Edit ICT Edit In early 2019 Safaricom Kenya s largest mobile network operator set up its second largest call centre and its first outside Nairobi 28 in Eldoret town The Kshs 900 million facility provides employment to 800 individuals of whom 300 are paid interns from local universities 29 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 30 Tourism Edit 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 31 Poa Place 32 and the ultra modern Boma Inn 33 as well as enough night life options to interest one for an evening or two 34 Surrounding region Edit Koitalel Arap Samoei Mausoleum and Museum in Nandi Hills a historic monument located close to Eldoret 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 21 Notable attractions within easy distance of Eldoret include the Nandi Hills area to the south home of the Nandi 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 34 Paraglading in Elgeyo Marakwet 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 35 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 36 Elgeyo Marakwet is also increasingly gaining a global reputation as a paragliding destination It has become the place to go to fly 100 200 km 62 124 mi out and returns in January with world records across both distances having been set in the Kerio Valley in 2013 and 2014 respectively 37 Retail Edit 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 Edit 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 EditChampions Monument Edit Champions Monument located in Eldoret Kenya 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 38 Eldoret Daima Plaza Edit At 26 floors and 70 metres 230 ft 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 39 and was opened in 2016 40 Sirikwa Hotel Edit The territory of the bearers of the Sirikwa culture 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 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 Edit The Wagon hotel is a local institution dating to the Afrikaner 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 41 Athletics Training Centre Edit 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 Edit The breakfast room at Eldoret Club overlooking the golf course 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 42 Koromosho Falls Edit Located some 25 kilometres 16 mi away from Eldoret at a point where the River Sosiani plunges 70 metres 230 ft 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 43 Poa Place Edit This is a notable resort in the town and features a wide variety of accommodation food and amusements 44 Education Edit Catholic University of East Africa Eldoret is home to Moi University Though the university s main campus is located about 30 kilometres 19 mi 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 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 UniversityThe city also is home to many technical and vocational institutes including Rift Valley Technical Training Institute Eldoret National Polytechnic African Institute for Research and Applied Studies Health EditThere are a number of medical facilities in the city notably Moi Teaching amp 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 amp 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 45 Sport EditEldoret in particular the Elgon View area is the hometown of numerous Kenyan runners the most renowned of whom is Kipchoge Keino and Eliud Kipchoge The high altitude is an ideal training ground for many middle and long distance athletes KCB Safari rally Kipchoge Keino Stadium 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 and Eldoret KCC The stadium fell into disrepair and was refurbished beginning in 2007 when the Kenyan Government allocated Ksh100 million for its upgrade 46 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 47 The event is organised by the Uasin Gishu county government and is patronized by the County Governor H E Jackson Mandago and Moses Tanui 48 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 EditTransport Edit Airports Edit Entry to the main lounge of Eldoret International Airport The City of Eldoret is served by two aerodromes Eldoret International Airport and Eldoret Airstrip Eldoret International Airport is a regional airport approximately 14 km 8 7 mi from Eldoret city It has daily scheduled flights to Nairobi and Lodwar and weekly international cargo flights operated by Emirates and Etihad Airways Situated at 6 941 feet 2 116 m above sea level 49 the airport has a single asphalt runway that measures 3 475 metres 11 401 ft in length 50 Four domestic airline companies operate in this airport Fly 540 Jambojet 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 1 130 metres 3 710 ft The county government of Uasin Gishu took over operations of the Eldoret airstrip in July 2015 2 Roads Edit Vehicles leaving Eldoret near Sosiani primary school The Trans African highway passes through the city central business district Railway Edit The city is also served by the Kenya Uganda railway Power Edit 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 51 Oil pipelines Edit The Kenya Pipeline Company operates a pipeline that passes through the city It is connected to the refinery at the coastal city of Mombasa and extends further from Eldoret to the lakeside city of Kisumu One of 5 national oil depots is located in the city Sister cities EditEldoret is a sister city of Country City County District Province Region State Date Germany Bad Vilbel Hessen 1982 52 USA Minneapolis Minnesota 2000 53 USA Indianapolis Indiana 2007 54 USA Ithaca New York 2007 55 References Edit a b Kenya U S Agency for International Development PDF Kenya usaid gov Archived from the original PDF on 24 February 2013 Retrieved 10 December 2013 Eldoret Kenya ArcGIS Hub Kenya National Bureau of Statistics 21 February 2020 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Volume II Distribution of Population by Administrative Units Report Kenya National Bureau of Statistics p 241 Retrieved 3 March 2020 cDistribution of Population by Urbn Centres Nairobi City 4 397 073 Mombasa 1 208 333 Nakuru 570 674 Ruiru 371 111 Eldoret 475 716 Kisumu 610 957 Population of Local Authorities with towns Government of Kenya 1999 GovtKenya Population PDF permanent dead link Eldoret steps up the pace in fourth Kenyan city race 17 November 2021 Matara Eric 1 December 2021 Nakuru becomes Kenya s fourth city The East African Retrieved 23 August 2022 Interesting facts about the origin of Eldoret town Retrieved 23 April 2019 Spear Thomas Waller Richard D 1993 Being Maasai Ethnicity amp Identity in East Africa ISBN 9780821410455 Retief Ronaldo 2014 Afrikaners trek to East Africa Old Africa Stories from East Africa s Past Issue 55 p 14 15 Red strangers the white tribe of Kenya ISBN 1 85725 206 3 by Christine Stephanie Nicholls a b http www ipsos co ke NEWBASE EXPORTS ICC 131030 Kass 20Magazine 15 60eef pdf permanent dead link http moigirlseldoret ac ke http www mccrow org uk EastAfrica Hill School now Hill 20School 20Eldoret 20Kenya permanent dead link Remnants of Boer Colony Glad They Stayed in Kenya 1 April 1987 Retrieved 16 September 2013 40 to 80 people Klimatafel von Eldoret Kenia PDF Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure Retrieved 4 November 2016 STATIONSNUMMER 63686 PDF Ministry of Energy Utilities and Climate Archived from the original on 16 January 2013 Retrieved 4 November 2016 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link Eldoret population statistics Electoral Commission of Kenya Registration centres by electoral area and constituency Archived 28 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine a b Uasin Gishu County Article Profile About the County Archived from the original on 14 April 2015 Retrieved 12 April 2015 About Us a b c d Olingo A The rise fall and rise again of Rivatex firm that now holds patent for Tami dye 10 March 2016 a b Kibet D New dye made from weed revives Kenya s textile industry and brings local fabric costs down Archived 24 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine Moi University Research Uptake 18 May 2015 Rivatex roars back to life as production line is launched Standard online Toyota Tsusho online Standard Media online Eldoret rises from post poll chaos to become regional hub Daily Nation 4 April 2019 online Safaricom s Sh900m hub signals hundreds of jobs Business Daily 18 March 2019 online Kenya Safaricom reveals new data centre for Eldoret ITNewsAfrica online http www sirikwahotel com http poaplace co ke The Boma Inn Eldoret Luxury Hotel and Spa Hospitality with a Conscience Archived from the original on 13 April 2018 Retrieved 10 December 2018 a b Western Kenya Travel Guide What to do in Western Kenya Dabbs Brian 1 May 2012 Paths to the Marathon in a Small Kenyan Town The New York Times Retrieved 6 July 2021 British athletes with altitude look to follow in Mo Farah s footsteps online Two Paragliding out and return speed world records set in Kenya s Kerio Valley online Daily Nation Monument unveiled in Eldoret to honour athletes online MUPS online Archived 29 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine Eldoret Leo online Bii Barnabas 26 August 2019 Eldoret s Wagon Hotel Where Boers thronged for recreation Daily Nation Nairobi Retrieved 6 September 2019 Softkenya online Nation News online Daily Nation online Ampath News http www kbc co ke story asp ID 45497 permanent dead link Kenya Broadcasting Corporation Government to upgrade Kipchoge Keino stadium Eldoret City marathon winners to pocket Sh3 5m Standard Media 12 March 2019 online Brief History of Eldoret City Marathon Eldoret City Marathon online Elevation of Eldoret Airport Runway Length of Eldoret Airport Runway French firm to build 40MW solar plant in Eldoret Business Daily online Bad Vilbel Stadt der Quellen Bad vilbel de Retrieved 10 December 2013 Eldoret Kenya delegation benchmarks sister city Minneapolis Twin Cities Daily Planet Archived from the original on 6 January 2014 Retrieved 12 April 2015 Minutes of the City County Council and Special Service District Councils of Indianapolis Marion County Indiana PDF Indy gov Archived from the original PDF on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 10 December 2013 The Rift Makes Ithaca Shift HepsTrack com HepsTrack LLC 31 March 2014 Retrieved 27 April 2014 External links Edit Kenya portal Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eldoret Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Eldoret Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Eldoret amp oldid 1129021896, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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