Kimilili is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

and area in

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

Bungoma County Bungoma County is a county in the former Western Province of Kenya with its capital in Bungoma town. It has a population of 1,670,570 of which 812,146 are males and 858,389 are females as per the 2019 census. The county has an area of 2,069& ...

. The area is occupied mainly by the

Bukusu The Bukusu people ( Bukusu: ''Babukusu'') are one of the 17 Kenyan tribes of the Luhya Bantu people of East Africa residing mainly in the counties of Bungoma and Trans Nzoia. They are the largest tribe of the Luhya nation, with 1,188,963 id ...

and a few Teso communities. It is a trading center for agricultural goods and services. The town has a population of 56,050 The surrounding region is mainly farmland with the main

cash crop A cash crop, also called profit crop, is an Agriculture, agricultural crop which is grown to sell for profit. It is typically purchased by parties separate from a farm. The term is used to differentiate a marketed crop from a staple crop ("subsi ...

s being coffee, maize, beans, sunflower seed sugarcane and bananas. The main town centre has several economic activities which include retail grocery stores, supermarkets, schools and computer colleges. There are numerous non-governmental organizations in Kimilili, the two main ones being ICFEM and Omwabini. Kimilili is home to the Western Provincial Police Training Center. Due to its strength in trade and education, Kimilili's urban population is on the rise. It was home to many government workers who held office positions in the former Mt Elgon District, which was merged into

in 2010.

History

In past years, this region has suffered from land conflicts that have resulted in the displacement of thousands. The

Sabaot Land Defence Force The Sabaot Land Defence Force (SLDF) was a guerrilla militia operating in the Mount Elgon District of Kenya since 2005. It has been accused of killing more than 600 people, and of committing a variety of atrocities including murder, torture, r ...

, who were the aggressors and the main agitators of this conflict, have, however, been subdued by the government.The area has raised prominent local musicians that employs local instruments in producing music. However there are a few gospel musicians like Brian Wanjala, famously known as Lemalay Lashinsky, who is among the top musicians from the contemporal societies.

Education

Kimilili has one of the best schools in Kenya based on Friends School Kamusinga's consistent academic and sports excellence. Other high schools are Moi Girls High School Kamusinga, Kimilili Boys High School, Maeni Girls Secondary School and St. Theresa's Girls Secondary School. Four primary private schools are found: PHIM Primary School, Shekinah School, Dreamland Education Centre and Farcon Academy. Public primary schools are Kimilili R.C. Boys, Kimilili R.C. Girls, Kimilili D.E.B, Kamusinga Primary, Khwiroro Primary, Bituyu, Buko and Maeni primary schools. Additionally, Matili F.Y.M Primary, Matili R.C, and Namawanga Primary School are a few schools which have produced scholars. Kimilili has a teachers' training center (Shima TTC). Matili national polytechnic has impacted many local scholars from within and beyong the municipality regime with adequate skills and knowledge to be relevant to the emerging global changes.

References

Populated places in Bungoma County {{Kenya-geo-stub