Kabarnet

Kabarnet is a town in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. The town has an urban population of 9,583 and a total population of 24,661 (1999 census [Kenya National Bureau of Statistics: [http://treasury.go.ke/cbs.go.ke/pdf/authority.pdf "Population of local authorities"] ] )

Geography

At an altitude of 1,815 metres (5,957 feet) Kabarnet is located on the eastern edge of the Kerio Valley. The view of Tugen Hills is spectacular along the road heading west from Marigat. Views include east over the Rift Valley towards Lake Baringo and Lake Bogoria, and west to the Elgeyo escarpment and the Kerio Valley.

The Kabarnet area is home to the Samors, a sub-group of the Tugen community.

History

The location is named after a missionary from the Alsace, "Barnet". "Ka" is homestead in the Kalenjin language. Kabarnet is the administrative headquarters for Baringo District since 1907 as the German colonial government made it to seat of the local government. It is also one of the largest constituencies in the country. It became "Municipality" in 1984. It has a coat of arms since 1993.

The Town

Kabarnet is the hometown of Daniel arap Moi, former President of the Republic of Kenya. The son, Gideon Moi is the current Member of Parliament (MP), and the only MP in the current parliament who went in unopposed in the 2003 elections that saw the father's 24-year presidential reign, and the ruling party's 40-year reign come to an end.

The town has 7 kindergartens, 20 primary schools (with 8 grades), schools for the deaf and handicaped, 3 secondary schools (with even the subject German Language) and 2 polytechnics.

It has also a slaughterhouse and a health-center.

Museum

The Kabarnet Museum was created in the former residence of the District Commissioner and has in its displays elements from local culture and traditions, as well as information on Lake Baringo and its environment. The gardens surrounding the Kabarnet Museum are so lush that it has become a small botanical park.

Local governance

Kabarnet municipality has six wards (Chebano, Kaprogonya, Kapsoo/Borowonin, Kinyo, Kituro and Seguton). All of them belong to Baringo Central Constituency, which has a total of 25 wards. The remaining 19 are located within Baringo County Council, the rural council of Baringo District [Electoral Commission of Kenya: [http://www.eck.or.ke/downloads/pollingcentres.pdf "Registration centres by electoral area and constituency"] ] .

Since 28th June 1988 Kabarnet is twinned with Hürth near Cologne, Germany. There is an active exchange between the two towns.Some of the students of the local school "Friedrich-Ebert Realschule" have penpals in the school of Kabarnet.

References