Busia County is county 040 of Kenya’s 47, in the former Western Province. Busia town is the capital, and the 2019 census counted 893,681 residents across 1,628.4 km². The county fronts Lake Victoria in the south and the Ugandan border in the west.
Busia is unusual in western Kenya for its language mix. Luhya dialects — Olusamia, Olumarachi, Olukhayo and Olunyala — are spoken alongside Ateso, a Nilotic language of the Iteso, and Dholuo in Bunyala.
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Capital | Busia |
| County code | 040 |
| Population | 893,681 (2019 census) |
| Area | 1,628.4 km² |
| Former province | Western |
| Sub-counties | 7 |
| Main languages | Olusamia, Ateso, Olumarachi, Dholuo, Swahili, English |
Towns and Villages in Busia County
Busia and Malaba were counted separately at the 2019 census. The remaining centres carry gazetteer estimates.
| Town | Type | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Busia | County capital | 71,886 |
| Malaba | Border town | 15,581 |
| Port Victoria | Lake port | 12,194 |
| Amagoro | Sub-county HQ | 4,182 |
| Nambare | Market town | 3,993 |
| Funyula | Sub-county HQ | 3,645 |
Gazetteer records list 97 named settlements across the county’s seven sub-counties. All 97 are listed below.
- Akoreti
- Alupe
- Amagoro
- Amongura
- Amukura
- Andungosi
- Angorom
- Apegei
- Asinge
- Atelaiti
- Bekayi
- Bogendi
- Buhuyi
- Bujumba
- Bujwane
- Bukangasi
- Bukhayo
- Bukiri
- Bukoma
- Bukurimu
- Bulemia
- Bulwani
- Bumala
- Bumiduru
- Bumudondo
- Bunaba
- Burinda
- Busia
- Busike
- Butula
- Buyofu
- Bwaliro
- Chakole
- Chamasiri
- Changara
- Chelelemuk
- Debani
- Funyula
- Gakalet
- Galafahi
- Gorya
- Idokho
- Igara
- Kacholia
- Kakameri
- Kaliwa
- Kholokhongo
- Khwirale
- Kisoko
- Kokale
- Kolanya
- Korturu
- Kwangamur
- Likoli
- Luambwa
- Luanda
- Lugare
- Lugulu
- Lumino
- Lwero
- Mabunge
- Machaku
- Mahuga
- Makhoma
- Malaba
- Malanga
- Marach
- Matayos
- Mbwekas
- Mubwokhola
- Munami
- Mundere
- Mundika
- Mungatsi
- Munongo
- Musokoto
- Musoma
- Namabusi
- Nambare
- Nambuku
- Namyoso
- Nangina
- Noanyi
- Obaro
- Omudeke
- Osieko
- Otimong
- Port Victoria
- Rudacha
- Rukala
- Sibembe
- Sikoma
- Sio Port
- Sirisia
- Sisenye
- Tingolo
- Uremia
Geography
Busia runs from the Lake Victoria shore at about 1,130 m up to the Samia Hills and the low ridges of Teso. The highest ground reaches around 1,375 m. The Nzoia River enters the lake through the Bunyala flats. The Sio River forms part of the Ugandan boundary before reaching the lake at Sio Port.
The Yala Swamp, shared with Siaya, occupies the south-eastern corner. Budalangi floods most years when the Nzoia breaks its banks; the Bunyala dykes were built to hold it back. Rainfall runs 1,000–1,800 mm.
Busia borders Bungoma County to the north-east, Kakamega County to the east and Siaya County to the south-east. Uganda lies west and Lake Victoria south.
The county is low and warm by western Kenyan standards. Mean temperatures sit around 22°C, and the dry spell in January and February is longer than Kakamega or Bungoma see.
Demographics
The 2019 census recorded 893,681 people in 198,152 households, 426,252 men and 467,401 women. Density averages 549 people per square kilometre, highest in Matayos and Nambale around the border towns.
The Luhya sub-nations — Samia, Marachi, Khayo, Nyala and Bakhekhe — hold the south and centre. The Iteso occupy Teso North and Teso South, and Luo fishing communities live along the lake at Budalangi.
Economy and Local Life
Cross-border trade defines Busia. The Busia One Stop Border Post is Kenya’s busiest crossing for people. Malaba handles the bulk of transit freight to Uganda, Rwanda and eastern DR Congo. Clearing, transport and market trading employ thousands.
Fishing at Port Victoria, Sio Port and Osieko supplies Nile perch and tilapia. Farmers grow cassava, sweet potato, maize, beans, groundnuts and cotton, and rice under the Bunyala Irrigation Scheme. Sugarcane feeds the Busia Sugar Industry mill at Busibwabo. Bumala and Amukura hold the largest rural markets.
Informal cross-border trade matters as much as the formal kind. Bicycle and motorcycle transporters move maize, fish, sugar and household goods across the border daily. The county has worked to channel that trade through designated market points.
Getting There
The A104 trunk road reaches Uganda at Malaba, and the Kisumu–Busia highway serves the county capital through Luanda and Bumala. Kisumu is about 130 km away, Kakamega about 100 km and Nairobi roughly 470 km.
The metre-gauge railway to Uganda crosses at Malaba. The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Kisumu International.
FAQ
What is the capital of Busia County?
Busia town, with a 2019 census urban population of 71,886. It sits on the Kenya–Uganda border opposite Busia, Uganda.
How many towns and villages are in Busia County?
Gazetteer records name 97 settlements, all listed on this page.
Which sub-counties make up Busia?
Seven: Teso North, Teso South, Nambale, Matayos, Butula, Funyula (Samia) and Budalangi (Bunyala).
What is the population of Busia County?
893,681 at the 2019 census, on 1,628.4 km².
What is the difference between Busia and Malaba?
Both are Kenya–Uganda crossings in Busia County. Busia town handles most passenger traffic; Malaba, 30 km north in Teso North, handles most freight and the railway.
Why does Budalangi flood?
The Nzoia River drops onto flat delta land before entering Lake Victoria and overtops its banks in heavy seasons. Dykes along the Bunyala stretch reduce but do not remove the risk.