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Kisii County is one of the 47 counties in Kenya courtesy of the new constitution of Kenya 2010 which created the new county system of governance. It shares common borders with Nyamira County to the North East, Narok County to the South and Homabay and Migori Counties to the West.
The county lies between latitude 0 30‘ and 1 0‘ South and longitude 34 38‘ and 35 0‘ East. The county covers a total area of 1,332.7 km square and is divided into nine constituencies namely: Kitutu Chache North, Kitutu Chache South, Nyaribari Masaba, Nyaribari Chache, Bomachoge Borabu, Bomachoge Chache, Bobasi, South Mugirango and Bonchari. It has 9 sub-counties and 45 Wards respectively.
The county‘s total population is projected at 1,226,873 persons in 2012.This represents 586,062 and 640,811 males and females respectively. By 2017, this population is expected to rise to 1,362,779 persons (650,982 males and 711,797 females). Population distribution in the county is influenced by such factors as physical, historical, patterns of economic development and policies pertaining to land settlement. Population densities are high in areas with large proportions of arable land such as Kitutu Chache South (1348), Nyaribari Chache (1128), Bomachoge Borabu (992), Bomachoge Chache (992) respectively. The county is characterized by a hilly topography with several ridges and valleys and it is endowed with several permanent rivers which flow from East to West into Lake Victoria. Soils in the county are generally good and fertile allowing for agricultural activities.
The county has a highland equatorial climate resulting into a bimodal rainfall pattern with two rainy seasons, the long rains occurring between February and June and the short rains occurring between September and early December. The adequate rainfall, coupled with moderate temperature is suitable for growing of crops like tea, coffee, maize, beans, and finger millet potatoes, bananas and groundnuts. This also makes it possible to practice dairy farming in the county.
A prosperous county with high quality of life for its citizens.
To create wealth for our citizens, enhance value addition, entrepreneurship, public participation and decision making.
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Trade and Business Information Centre Trade and business information centre will play the role of a one stop shop for trade and business opportunities in the County. It will house a branch of Export Promotion Council (EPC) and Kenya Investment Authority. Trade in Kisii is one of the growing sectors that require s support to grow further through value addition and exploit export opportunities especially to the Middle East and Dubai. Kisii County is the home to one of the largest open markets namely DarajaMbili market. Market Development and Management Development of modern markets is critical in harnessing the existing rural trade potential. Currently, the traders...
H.E. HON. JAMES E.O ONGWAE, CBS, EBS, OGW
“You cannot grow the economy without carrying the stakeholders with you; we are going to focus on the growing of the various sectors that support our economy.”, Governor Ongwae.
Early Life and Education
H.E the Governor Hon. James Ongwae was born in Mwamonari Location, Marani District, Kitutu Chache North Constituency, Kisii County in 1952. He is married with four children. Governor Ongwae attended Itierio Primary School and Kisii High School after which he joined the University of Nairobi where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in Economics and Government. He completed his Master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration from the Institute of Social Studies-The Hague, Holland and a postgraduate Diploma in Management and Administration from East and Southern Africa Management Institute (ESAMI) among other qualifications.
Public Service and Career
He joined the public service as a District Officer rising through the ranks to serve in various capacities including Immigration Officer, Management Analyst, Director of Civil Service Reform Programme, Permanent Secretary/Director of Personnel Management(DPM) in the Office of the President, Secretary for the Teachers Service Commission and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture.
The Governor has expertise in Policy formulation, analysis and support, Human Resource Management and Development, Management and Administration, Public administration reform and anti-corruption measures, Institutional Development and Capacity Building, Leadership and Capacity Development, Decentralization, local governance and urban/rural development, Results Based Management and Management Development.
During his public service tenure he led and spearheaded various government initiatives, served in various government committees and managed various government policy projects. He served in several government boards including: Commission of Adult Education Board, Commission of Higher Education, Kenya National Examination Council, Directorate of Industrial Training, Member of the Council of the University of Nairobi, Member of the Council of Maseno University, Member of the council of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Member of the Council of Egerton University and Associate member of the Kenya Institute of Management (K.I.M).
Governor Ongwae served as a member of the Governing Board of Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (ESAMI) – Arusha, Tanzania for many years and Vice-President (East African Region) of the African Association for Public Administration and Management (AAPAM), which is an an International African Management body supported by over twenty (20) African Governments.
Leadership
Upon retirement in December 2005, Governor James Ongwae continued participating actively in shaping national leadership, development and political agenda. He vied for the r Kitutu Chache parliamentary seat during the 2007 and in 2010 he actively participated in campaigning for the Kenya Constitution 2010.
He worked for the Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga’s Presidential Secretariat in 2012 as the Chief Campaign Manager before leaving to run for the Kisii County gubernatorial seat during the March 3, 2013 general elections, which he won with a landslide.
H.E. Governor James Ongwae was sworn to office on 27 March 2013, thus becoming the first Governor of Kisii County under the new constitution dispensation.
Governor James Ongwae believes that you cannot grow the economy without carrying the stakeholders with you. In his current term, he will therefore focus on developing institutional frameworks that would lay a strong foundation for a prosperous Kisii County. Of immediate focus is the development of various infrastructures to promote economic growth, creation of job opportunities, tackling poverty, improving educations standards, improvement of healthcare facilities, development of cottage industries and value addition and improvement of agricultural competitiveness.