Migori County is a county in the former Nyanza Province of southwestern Kenya. It borders Homa Bay County to the north, Kisii County to the northeast, Narok County to the southeast, Tanzania to the west and south, and Lake Victoria to the west. The county also borders Uganda via Migingo Island in Lake Victoria. The county is headquartered by Migori, which is also its largest town. At the 2019 census, Migori County had a population of 1,116,436, almost 200,000 more than the 917,170 recorded in 2009.
Migori County is located in the sugar belt wetlands of western Kenya and is mostly at the heart of the African tropics. However, the county enjoys a pleasant climate due to its high altitude which modifies the climate alongside the cool breeze from Lake Victoria.
Demographically, Migori County is the most diverse region of the former Nyanza Province after Kisumu County. Its inhabitants include the Suba, Joluo, Kuria, Abagusii, Luhya, Somalis, Indians, Arabs, Agikuyu and Nubians.
The county is important to Kenya because of the significance of Isebania border post to the East African economy, the A-1 Kenya-Tanzania cuts the county in half, the place of Sony (South Nyanza) Sugar Company in the lives of over one hundred thousand households in Kenya, the influential role of Lake Victoria on food sustainability of Western region of Kenya, and its sizeable meat industry courtesy of the ranches in Kurialand and Suna West.
Migori town serves as in important link between Kenya and Tanzania and the second most viable commercial center in Luo-Nyanza after Kisumu. Other major towns in Migori county include Kehancha, Rongo, Awendo and Isebania in Kuria District.
Religion
Religion in Migori County
Location
Migori Town (-1.0634,34.4731) is 368 kilometers from Nairobi. Migori town is bordered by hills.
Water bodies in the county include the Kuja and Migori rivers, and Lake Victoria.
Economy
The main economic activities include agriculture, fishing, manufacturing and mining. There is some small scale gold mining carried out in the county.
The county also sees some limited commercial activity, mainly small and micro-enterprises in the Jua Kali sector. These include auto mechanics, furniture works, tailoring, welding, trade and agriculture.
Agricultural activity is carried out in areas such as Ngege, Oyani and Anjego. There is a national cereals board depot in Migori Town.
Demographics
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics National Census data Migori has a population of 1,116,436 with 536,187 males and 580,214 females, and 35 intersex. Below is the breakdown of the population based on the constituencies of the county.
Kuria West 101,090 (Male) 107,417 (Female) 6 (Intersex) Total= 208,513
Nyatike 83,989 (Male) 92,164 (Female) 9 (Intersex) Total= 176,162
Uriri 68,127 (Male) 73,318 (Female) 3 (Intersex) Total= 141,448
Suna West 61,430 (Male) 67,459 (Female) 1 (Intersex) Total= 128,890
Rongo 59,257 (Male) 65,329 (Female) 1 (Intersex) Total= 124,587
Suna East 58,977 (Male) 63,694 (Female) 3 (Intersex) Total= 122,674
Awendo 56,348 (Male) 60,939 (Female) (Intersex) Total= 117,290
Kuria East 46,969 (Male) 49,894 (Female) 9 (Intersex) Total= 96,872
The population density is 353 PER SQ. km and 43% of the population live below the poverty line. The age distribution was 0–14 years 49%, 15–64 years 48% and over 65 years 3%. Kuria West Constituency has the highest density at 490/km2 while Nyatike Constituency had the lowest at 213/km2. While the population of the county as of 2009 was 917,170, it is expected to grow to about 1.3 million people by 2018. Children below the age of 15 account for 49% of the population of the county.
Urban Centers and Towns
Migori County has several urban centers and municipalities which are clustered into two groups. The first are towns councils and municipalities and include Migori town in Suna East/and Suna West which has about 100,000 people. Migori town acts as the capital of the county and hosts several important economic and political institutions. The second municipality is Kehancha town in Kuria West which has a population of approximately 50,000 people.
The second cluster of urban centers in Migori are town councils and these include Rongo Town, Awendo Town and Isebania border.
Other important trading centers or rural shopping centers in the county include Muhuru Bay, Macalder Mines, Karungu Bay, Bondo Nyironge, Ogwedhi Sigawa, God Jope, Giribe among others.