Wonders of Sergoit Hills

 By William Kiptoo For much of the post‑independence period, Raymond Woollen Mills stood as one of Eldoret’s proudest industrial landmarks. Established in the early 1960s, the factory symbolised Kenya’s ambition to build a self‑reliant manufacturing economy. Long before the town became synonymous with athletics, wheat farming, and universities, Raymond helped define Eldoret as an industrial hub at the heart of the North Rift. The mill was set up as Raymond Woollen Mills (Kenya) Ltd, a subsidiary of the renowned Indian textile firm Raymond. Its arrival followed Kenya’s independence in 1963, when the government actively promoted local industries to reduce dependence on imports. Eldoret was chosen deliberately: its cool climate suited wool processing, and surrounding highland areas offered ideal conditions for sheep rearing. From the start, Raymond was designed to do more than make fabric. It created a complete value chain, processing locally produced wool into finished products such ...

By William Kiptoo For much of Kenya’s post‑independence history, Raymond Woollen Mills , Rift Valley Textiles (Rivatex) and Ken‑Knit defined Eldoret’s identity as an industrial town. Together, the three factories anchored employment, shaped migration into the North Rift, and linked agriculture to manufacturing at a scale rarely matched outside Nairobi. Yet while Raymond collapsed and Rivatex struggled to survive, Ken‑Knit endured—offering a revealing contrast in how Kenya’s textile industry rose, fell, and, in one case, adapted. Raymond Woollen Mills, established in the early 1960s, symbolised the optimism of early independence. Backed by Indian capital, the factory focused on wool processing and quickly became synonymous with quality and aspiration. Raymond suits, blankets and yarns clothed civil servants, students, clergy and families across the country. The factory drew wool from Rift Valley highlands, created thousands of jobs, and helped transform Eldoret into a centre of light ...

 By William Kiptoo Image: AI Elgeyo Saw Mills originated within Kenya’s colonial forestry economy when British settlers and administrators exploited high altitude forests in the Rift Valley for commercial timber. The Elgeyo Escarpment and the Cherangany Hills were used for timber extraction due to the presence of indigenous hardwoods such as cedar and podo, alongside planted softwoods introduced through colonial forestry policies. The land where the mill was later established formed part of a settler owned farm of about 4,900 acres held by a European settler identified as Captain Kenneth Rawson Shaw or (Shown Show) . The property lay along the boundary of present day Elgeyo Marakwet and Uasin Gishu counties and was located near forest reserves that supplied timber.  During the colonial period, timber production supported railway construction, settler housing, and export markets. Local Keiyo and Marakwet communities were excluded from ownership and mainly provided labor after d...

 By William Kiptoo The story of Dola milling in Eldoret is tied to the journey of Eldoret Grains Limited, the company behind the Dola brand. It began in 1987 in Mwingi, where the founders set out to process and add value to maize, Kenya’s staple food. As the business grew, location became critical. The company moved to Eldoret, placing itself at the center of the North Rift’s grain producing region. With steady access to maize from Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, and surrounding areas, the shift positioned the company close to both farmers and markets. By 1998, the Eldoret plant was operational. Milling started at scale, and Dola maize flour began to find its way into homes across the region. The brand grew through availability and consistency rather than heavy promotion. Over time, the product range expanded to include wheat based flours such as atta, chapati flour, mandazi flour, self raising flour, and home baking flour, alongside fortified maize meal sold as Dola Gold. The company ha...

By William Kiptoo In 1966, in Eldoret, three brothers started a small textile business with Sh50,000 and a single knitting machine. Gulabchand Shah, Somchand Shah, and Keshavlal Shah were not working with much, but they had a clear intention: to build something that could grow. The first product was hand knitting yarn. Production was basic, and the scale was small. Like many early enterprises, progress depended on consistency rather than speed. The business grew gradually, supported by reinvestment and a careful approach to expansion. As demand increased, the company moved beyond yarn into spinning. This allowed for greater control over production and improved efficiency. From there, it expanded into blankets and knitwear, building a wider product base that responded to everyday needs. Over time, these products found their way into homes, schools, and institutions across Kenya. The company, Ken-Knit (Kenya) Ltd., did not grow through sudden breakthroughs. Its progress came through stea...