Nyanza
Former Province
Location in Kenya.
Location in Kenya.
Coordinates: 0°30′S 34°40′E / 0.500°S 34.667°E / -0.500; 34.667
Country Kenya
CapitalKisumu
Area
 • Total12,477.1 km2 (4,817.4 sq mi)
Population
 (2009 Census)
 • Total5,442,711
 • Density440/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+3 (EAT)
The capital of Kenya's Nyanza Province, on Lake Victoria, is Kisumu (click to enlarge map)

Nyanza Province (Kenyan English: [ˈɲaːnzə]; Swahili: Mkoa wa Nyanza) was one of Kenya's eight administrative provinces before the formation of the 47 counties under the 2010 constitution. Six counties were organised in the area of the former province.

The region is located in the southwest part of Kenya around Lake Victoria, includes part of the eastern edge of Lake Victoria, and is inhabited predominantly by the Luo people and Kisii people. There are also Bantu-speaking tribes, such as the Kuria, and some Luhya, living in the province. The province derives its name from Nyanza, a Bantu word which means a large mass of water.

The provincial capital was Kisumu, the third-largest city in Kenya. The province had a population of 4,392,196 at the 1999 census within an area of 16.162 km², or 12.613 km² of land.

The climate is tropical humid.

Counties

The following counties make up the area of the former Nyanza province:

CodeCountyFormer ProvinceArea (km2)Population
Census 2009		Capital
41SiayaNyanza2,496.1842,304Siaya
42KisumuNyanza2,009.5968,909Kisumu
43Homa BayNyanza3,154.7963,794Homa Bay
44MigoriNyanza2,586.4917,170Migori
45KisiiNyanza1,317.91,152,282Kisii
46NyamiraNyanza912.5598,252Nyamira
Totals12,477.15,442,711

Districts after 2007

Several new districts were created in 2007 in Kenya, also in Nyanza Province:[1]

DistrictCapital
BondoBondo
BorabuNyansiongo
GuchaOgembo
Homa BayHoma Bay
KisiiKisii
Kisumu EastKisumu town
Kisumu WestHola
Kuria West DistrictKehancha
Kuria East DistrictKegonga
Manga
MasabaKeroka
MigoriMigori
NyamiraNyamira
NyandoAwasi
RachuonyoKosele
RariedaMadiany
RongoRongo
SiayaSiaya
SubaSindo

Languages

The predominant language in Nyanza is Dholuo, a Nilotic language and Ekegusii (Bantu Languages) whose origins are from South Sudan. It is spoken by the ethnic Luo.

Other languages include Luhya, Kuria, Suba and the national languages of English and Swahili. Other languages from the many Kenyan communities are also spoken in small pockets by migrants from these communities.

Notable residents

  • Tom Mboya, politician and former minister
  • Simeon Nyachae (1932–2021), Kenyan politician and businessman from Kisii County
  • Barack Obama Sr. (1934–1982), economist with the government; educated in Hawaii and Massachusetts; father of the President Barack Obama (2009–2017) of the United States
  • Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, independence fighter and socialist politician
  • Raila Odinga, son of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, politician and the leader of Opposition in Kenya
  • Bethwell Allan Ogot, renowned historian and academician
  • Achieng Oneko, independence fighter and socialist politician
  • Robert Ouko, politician and former minister
  • James Orengo, lawyer, well known human rights activist, and a prominent politician who is the current senator for Siaya County
  • Prof. Sammy Ongeri, second Kisii County senator and former MP Nyaribari Madaba
  • Elijah Marube, environmental consultant and industrialist
  • Andrew John Omanga, former minister and Ambassador, cecond MP Nyaribari Chache
  • James Nyamweya, MP Nyaribari Chache and one of the first ministers in first Government
  • Samson Mwita Marwa, MP

Villages and settlements

References

Languages
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