Nyanza Province

Nyanza
—  Province  —
Location in Kenya.
Coordinates: 0°30′S 34°40′E / 0.5°S 34.667°E / -0.5; 34.667Coordinates: 0°30′S 34°40′E / 0.5°S 34.667°E / -0.5; 34.667
Country	Kenya
No. of districts:	19
Capital	Kisumu
Area
- Total	16,162 km2 (6,240.2 sq mi)
Population (1999)
- Total	4,392,196
Time zone	EAT (UTC+3)

The capital of Kenya's Nyanza Province, on Lake Victoria, is Kisumu (click to enlarge map)

Nyanza Province of Kenya, is one of Kenya's eight administrative provinces. It is located in the southwest part of Kenya around Lake Victoria. Nyanza includes part of the eastern edge of Lake Victoria and is inhabited predominantly by the Luo. There are also Bantu-speaking tribes such as the Gusii, the Kuria and a few traces of the 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 is Kisumu, the third largest city in Kenya. The province has a population of 4,392,196 (as of 1999) within an area of 16,162 km².^[1]

The climate is tropical humid.

Districts

Initially, Nyanza had four administrative districts. Since the 1990s, the province has been further divided into the following districts:

District (capital):
Bondo (Bondo) · Gucha (Ogembo ^a) · Homa Bay (Homa Bay) · Kisii (Kisii) ^b · Kisumu (Kisumu) · Kuria (Kehancha) · Migori (Migori) · Nyamira (Nyamira) ^c · Nyando (Awasi) · Rachuonyo (Oyugis) · Siaya (Siaya) · Suba (Mbita)

^a Also known as South Kisii District and Ogembo District.
^b Also known as Kisii Central District.
^c Also known as North Kisii District.

Districts after 2007

Several new districts were created in 2007 in Kenya, also in Nyanza Province^[2]:

District	Capital
Bondo	Bondo
Borabu	Nyansiongo
Gucha	Ogembo
Homa Bay	Homa Bay
Kisii	Kisii
Kisumu East	Kisumu town
Kisumu West	Holo
Kuria West District	Kehancha
Kuria East District	Kegonga
Manga
Masaba	Keroka
Migori	Migori
Nyamira	Nyamira
Nyando	Awasi
Rachuonyo	Kosele
Rarieda	Madiany
Rongo	Rongo
Siaya	Siaya
Suba	Sindo

Languages

The predominant language in Nyanza is Dholuo, a Nilotic language whose origins are from Southern Sudan, spoken by the Luo.

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

Notable residents

Barack Obama, Sr., was born in the Nyanza Province. He is the father of the President of the United States Barack Obama, Jr. Others include the independence fighters and socialist politicians Achieng Oneko and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, the latter's son Prime Minister Raila Odinga, former ministers Robert Ouko and Tom Mboya, and the historian Bethwell Allan Ogot.

References

1. ^ [1]^{[dead link]}
2. ^ Ministry of State for Provincial Administration and National Security

External links

Languages

• http://www.yale.edu/swahili Swahili- English translation
• Kisii Language - Kisii English- Ekegusii translation