Trans Nzoia County is county 026 of Kenya’s 47, in the former Rift Valley Province. Kitale is the capital, and the 2019 census counted 990,341 residents across 2,469.9 km². The county occupies a high, well-watered plateau between Mount Elgon and the Cherangani Hills.
Trans Nzoia is Kenya’s grain county. Large-scale maize and wheat farms laid out in the colonial period still shape the landscape, and Kenya Seed Company is headquartered in Kitale.
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Capital | Kitale |
| County code | 026 |
| Population | 990,341 (2019 census) |
| Area | 2,469.9 km² |
| Former province | Rift Valley |
| Sub-counties | 5 (25 wards) |
| Main languages | Lubukusu, Sabaot, Kalenjin, Swahili, English |
Towns and Villages in Trans Nzoia County
Kitale and Kiminini were counted separately at the 2019 census.
| Town | Type | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Kitale | County capital | 162,174 |
| Kiminini | Sub-county HQ | 16,560 |
| Endebess | Sub-county HQ | — |
| Kwanza | Sub-county HQ | — |
| Matisi | Town | — |
| Kachibora | Market centre | — |
Gazetteer and ward records name 20 settlements in Trans Nzoia. Coverage is thinner than in neighbouring counties because much of the rural land is held as large farms rather than villages. All 20 are listed below.
- Bindii
- Cherangani
- Cousin's Corner
- Endebess
- Kachibora
- Kapolet
- Katikomor
- Kiminini
- Kipsain Club
- Kipsoen
- Kipsongo
- Kitale
- Knight's Corner
- Kwanza
- Maili Saba
- Matisi
- Saboti
- Sinyerere
- Sitaman
- Tenden
Geography
Trans Nzoia sits on a plateau between 1,800 m and 2,000 m. Mount Elgon rises to the north-west and the Cherangani Hills stand to the east. The Nzoia River rises here and flows south-west towards Lake Victoria; the Koitobos and Suam drain the Elgon slopes.
Mount Elgon National Park protects the Kenyan flank of the volcano, including Kitum Cave, where elephants mine salt from the rock face. Saiwa Swamp National Park, at 3 km² Kenya’s smallest, protects the sitatunga antelope. Rainfall runs 1,000–1,500 mm and is unusually reliable.
Trans Nzoia borders West Pokot County to the north-east, Elgeyo-Marakwet County and Uasin Gishu County to the south-east. It also borders Kakamega County to the south and Bungoma County to the south-west. Uganda lies to the north-west.
Soils are deep, dark and volcanic, weathered from Mount Elgon ash. With altitude and dependable rain, they give a season long enough for a full maize crop plus a wheat or bean rotation.
Demographics
The 2019 census recorded 990,341 people in 220,921 households, 489,107 men and 501,206 women. Density averages 401 people per square kilometre, the lowest of the counties in this cluster because farm units are large.
No single community dominates. Bukusu Luhya, Sabaot, Nandi and other Kalenjin, Kikuyu, Luo and Iteso families all settled here through the land transfer schemes of the 1960s and 1970s.
Average household size is 4.5, and Kitale alone holds about a sixth of the county’s residents.
Economy and Local Life
Maize is the county’s business. Trans Nzoia routinely produces one of Kenya’s largest maize surpluses. Kenya Seed Company multiplies most of the national hybrid seed crop on farms around Kitale. Wheat, sunflower, beans and horticulture follow, with dairy on the higher ground and coffee on the Elgon slopes.
Kitale holds the county’s main market and the annual Agricultural Society of Kenya show. The Kitale Museum, opened in 1926, is the oldest museum in western Kenya. Agricultural Development Corporation farms still hold large blocks of land at Endebess and Kwanza.
Land ownership is unusually skewed. Blocks of several hundred hectares sit beside smallholdings of under two hectares, a legacy of the colonial soldier-settler scheme and the incomplete subdivision that followed. Land disputes remain a standing feature of county politics.
Getting There
The A1 highway runs Webuye–Kitale–Kapenguria–Lodwar and is the main route in. Eldoret is about 70 km south-east, Webuye about 80 km south-west and Nairobi roughly 380 km by road via Nakuru and Eldoret.
Kitale has an airport on the southern edge of town, used mainly by charter and cargo flights. Scheduled services use Eldoret International, about 70 km away. Kitale is the northern terminus of the metre-gauge branch line from Eldoret.
A road runs west from Kitale through Endebess to the Suam border post with Uganda, a crossing used mainly by local trade.
FAQ
What is the capital of Trans Nzoia County?
Kitale, with a 2019 census urban population of 162,174.
How many towns and villages are in Trans Nzoia County?
Gazetteer and ward records name 20 settlements, all listed on this page.
Which sub-counties make up Trans Nzoia?
Five: Kwanza, Endebess, Saboti, Kiminini and Cherangany, divided into 25 wards.
What is the population of Trans Nzoia County?
990,341 at the 2019 census, on 2,469.9 km².
Why is Trans Nzoia called Kenya’s breadbasket?
Deep soils, 1,000–1,500 mm of reliable rain and large mechanised farms give the county one of the highest maize outputs in Kenya.
How far is Kitale from Eldoret?
About 70 km by the A1, usually a 75-minute drive.