Kisumu

Kisumu is the capital of Nyanza province, on the north-eastern shore of Lake Victoria and is the third largest city in Kenya. It is the commercial, industrial, and transportation centre of western Kenya, serving a hinterland populated by almost four million people.

A good number of international and local non governmental organizations also have their bases in Kisumu. Its culture has also gradually evolved as a result of the interaction between different communities that have settled within it and its environs. All these developments have led to it being accorded city status. It was the second town in Kenya to be accorded city status after Nairobi in the 1950s. Kisumu is considered Western Kenya's most important urban area.



This city is mainly dominated by the Luo community, a nilotic tribe that is the 3rd largest ethnic group in Kenya. The Asian community is the 2nd largest community and controls more than 70% of the economy.

The climate feels more like Mombasa than Nairobi , being hot and humid, where locals move about their business at a leisurely pace. The moderate temperatures are as a result of its elevation which is 5,000+ ft. above sea level.

The most famous person from this area is United States Senator Barack Obama , Jr. of Illinois. Obama, currently the only black member of the US Senate was actually born in Hawaii, but his father, Barack Obama, Sr., was born in the village of Nyangoma Kogalo nearby Lake Victoria. On August 8, 2006, Senator Obama, visited Kisumu, as part of his African tour. Obama was greeted by thousand of cheering well-wishers who consider the ethnically Luo politician a native son.

There are several tourist destinations within this city that give it a unique and enigmatic beauty that captivates the hearts of many who tour the area. Some of these destinations include the following:-

The Kisumu Municipal Market

This market was established in 1935. It is a farmers' market, with over 300 stalls stocking all sorts of items including Turkana baskets, pots, fruits, cereals and the famous fish market adjacent to it. It borders the city bus park which is a transport hub for all travelers from the surrounding towns and villages. A visit to this city is not complete until you set foot into this market. Adjacent to it is the curio bandas where you can buy Kisii soap stones and other artifacts.

Impala Wildlife Sanctuary

This sanctuary was opened in 1992 with the intention of protecting a herd of impala and serve as a safe grazing ground for hippopotamus from the lakes. The park is a game sanctuary and animal orphanage and home to the rare Sitatunga antelope.

Hippo Point is famed as an exceptional vantage point for viewing hippos, not to mention Lake Victoria's spectacular sunsets. You could also take part in the popular for fish (Tilapia) eating along the lake. Local villagers can be hired to provide canoe tours through the papyrus reed beds to see hippos and birds.

Boda boda is the name given to the bicycles mainly used in Kisumu as a means of transportation when getting around, upto the main small town its hard to get a car or a matatu. The name originated from a need to transport people across the "no-mans-land" between the border(Kenya-Uganda border) posts without the paperwork involved with using motor vehicles crossing the international border. The bicycle owners would shout out boda-boda (border-to-border) to potential customers and that's how the name came about.

There’s a wide range of accommodation in kisumu suitable for any budget ranging from 5 star through 1 star hotels. In addition, there are several restaurants that will suit all kinds of travelers, businesspeople or tourists.

Post election violence in December 2007

In Kisumu, hundreds of protesters took over the streets, and smoke was seen rising across the city. The tension erupted after Mwai Kibaki was named the winner of the Dec. 27 presidential election. Many Kenyans and international observers believe the election was rigged to favor Kibaki, who was first elected in 2002 and is a member of the country's largest tribe, the Kikuyu.

Kibaki's main rival is Raila Odinga, a member of the Luo tribe and Kisumu is his homeland. In the most violent protest in Kenya’s history that started on 29th December 2007, people looted shops, burnt government and private buildings and vehicles, leaving the provincial (State) capital, Kisumu on its knees.The impact of post-election violence in Kisumu will be felt for many years to come. The businesses that provided employment opportunities have gone into flames, rendering thousands of people jobless; many children have been left orphans, while the wanton destruction of infrastructure left the economy ravaged.

On March 3rd 2008, President Kibaki and ODM leader Raila Odinga Thursday signed a historic agreement to end Kenya’s post-election political crisis. Under the deal, the Cabinet will consist of the President, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister, the two deputy prime ministers and the other ministers.

Prime minister-designate Raila Odinga has assured Kenyans that his priority will be to rebuild Kenya after a deal to end the two-month political crisis and the Government will help those whose houses were burnt to resettle on their farms. Many Kenyans have been celebrating the power-sharing deal between Mr Odinga and President Mwai Kibaki.

We have seen the ugly face of ethnic confrontation in our country. It is now clear to us all that the job of national reconciliation and national reconstruction is not for the leaders alone. It must be carried out in every neighborhood, village, city and corner of the nation.