Baringo County
County
Sunset over Lake Baringo, Baringo County, Kenya
Flag Coat of arms
Location in Kenya
Country	Kenya
Formed	4 March 2013
Capital	Kabarnet
Government
• Governor	Stanley Kiptis
Area
• Total	11,075.3 km2 (4,276.2 sq mi)
Population  (2019 census)
• Total	666,763
• Density	60/km2 (160/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+3 (EAT)
Website	baringo.go.ke

Baringo County is one of the 47 Counties of Kenya. It is located in the former Rift Valley Province. Its headquarters and largest town is Kabarnet. The county is home to Lake Baringo.

Geographical location

Baringo bounded by Turkana County and West Pokot County to the North, Samburu County and Laikipia County to the East, Nakuru County and Kericho County to the South, Uasin Gishu County to the South West and Elgeyo Marakwet County to the West. It covers an area of 8,655 km². Baringo County lies between Latitudes 00 degrees 13" South and 1 degree 40" north and Longitudes 35 degrees 36" and 36" degrees 30" East.^[1]

Administrative and political units

Baringo has six administrative sub-counties

1. Baringo Central
2. Tiaty
3. Baringo North
4. Eldama Ravine
5. Baringo South
6. Mogotio

• Eldama Ravine and Mogotio sub counties combined was formerly Koibatek District*

Administrative and electoral units in Baringo County

Baringo county has a total of thirty electoral wards and one hundred and sixteen locations.^[2] The electoral wards is run by an elected member of county assemby where-areas location is led by Chief appointed.

Source^[3][4][5]

Demographics

The county has a population of 666,763 (2019 census) and an area of 10,976.4 km² (4,238.0 sq mi).^[6]

Distribution of population by sex and sub-county

Source^[8][3]

Religion and ethnicities

Red Cross team at work in East Pokot

The county is occupied by the Tugens, Njemps, Lembus, Torois, Pokots, Turkanas, Kikuyus, Numbians, and others. Christianity is the most practiced religion in the county. Traditionally, Baringo people believed in a god Asis, who is represented by the sun; however, currently, most individuals in the county believe in Christianity.^[9] The well-known Christian denominations within Baringo County include the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK), African Inland Church (AIC), full gospel churches of Kenya and Roman Catholic.^[9]

County government

The County Governor is Stanley Kiptis and is deputized by Jacob Kurui Chepkwony. The Senator is Gideon Moi while the County Women is Gladwell Tungo. The County Executive Committee consists of the following:^{[citation needed]}

Economics

The economy of the county is mainly agro-based. The main food crops grown are maize, pigeon peas, beans, Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, sorghum, cassava and finger millet while the cash crops are coffee, cotton, macadamia and pyrethrum.^[10] Livestock products include honey, beef, mutton as well as hides and skins. However, little value addition is done to these products.

Urbanization

Major urban centres in the county are Kabarnet, Eldama Ravine, Marigat, Mogotio, Kabartonjo and Chemolingot.

Tourism and wildlife

Major attractions include:^[11]

• Lake Bogoria and Kapedo Hotsprings
• Lake Bogoria Game Reserve is home to rare kudus, antelopes, zebras, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, mongoose, monkeys, baboons and jackals. At the shores of Lake Bogoria are more than two millions lesser flamingoes and 350 bird species total.
• Lake Baringo
• Lake Baringo Snake Park has many snake species such as the black mamba, puff adder, boomslang and spitting cobra, monitor lizards, crocodiles and tortoises.
• Lake Kamnarok
• Kabarnet National Museum and Kipsaraman Community Museum
• Ruko Conservancy
• Cheploch Gorge

Major tourist hotels in the county are:

• Sunmaya Resort and World Trail Camps, Ainobmoi
• Lake Bogoria Hotel and Spa Resort
• Kabarnet Hotel, Kabarnet
• Sinkoro Hotel Ltd, Kabarnet
• Soi Safari Lodge
• Sportsline Hotel, Kabarnet
• Taidy's Restaurant, Eldama Ravine
• Kibelion Hotel, Emining
• Lalwa Safari Lodge, Koriema

Education

Kabarnet town hosts a number of university campuses including those of Baringo University, Mount Kenya University, Egerton University, and Kisii University.

Secondary schools include Kabarnet High School,solian girls, Baringo High School, Kapropita High School, and Kituro High School, Tabagon Girls, Pemwai Girls, Tenges Boys among others

There are six hundred and eighty seven primary schools, out of this 601 are public and 86 are private schools.^[2] In Secondary school category they are a total of one hundred and fifty nine (159) schools; one hundred and forty seven being public secondary schools and twelve being private public secondary schools.^[12]

Health

Kabarnet County Referral Hospital is the largest and best public hospital in the county. There are a total of 172 health facilities; seven level four, 25 level three and 140 level 2 centres.^[13]

Transport and infrastructure

The county headquarters is linked to Nakuru and Eldoret by class C roads which fall under the Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA).

In January 2016, Fly-SAX began twice-weekly flights between Lake Baringo Airport and Nairobi–Wilson, becoming the first airline to serve the airport.^[14][2]

There are 339 km bitumen, 2141 murram and 995 km earth roads in the county.^[15][16] As at 2014 a total of 9 postal offices were spread across the county with letter boxes of 2950 installed, 2510 rented and 440 vacant.^[17]

Constituencies

The county has six constituencies: Baringo Central, Baringo South, Baringo North, Eldama Ravine, Mogotio, and Tiaty.

Villages and settlements