Wonders of Sergoit Hills

By William Kiptoo William's Farmhouse in Karuna was a popular joint of Mzee William Chemweno for many years. The place was originally known as Chepkinoyo or a "meeting place" in the Kalenjin language. Mzee Chemweno was prominent figure in Moiben, Uasin Gishu, known for his farming prowess on his vast 5,000-acre Kapkabai and Karuna farms. His favorite pastime was enjoying a beer in this joint at Chepkinoyo bar with friends and family especially during his sunset years. View insights 4.1K post reach All reactions: 52 Bakari Kemei, Rosalind Wallqvist and 50 others

By William Kiptoo Despite its beauty and magnificence, Karuna Hill, in Moiben, it is currently under threat due to the mining activities of the road construction companies which are indiscriminately extracting murrum on the hillside. In the recent past, there has been an increase of these activities in the hill driven by the rising demand for quality murrum to construct feeder roads within the County. This extraction is not only causing severe soil erosion but also leads to the degradation of the Hill's natural beauty and ecological balance. Even though the hill is a private property, it i's time alternative sources of road construction materials are explored to alleviate the pressure on Karuna Hill and to preserve the natural beauty and ecological balance of the Hill for the well-being of the future generations.

  By William Kiptoo Karuna Hill, also known as Karona or Karuna, is located in Moiben, Uasin Gishu, Rift Valley, Kenya. It is one of three hills that form a circular pattern on the Moiben Plateau, the others being Sergoit and Kapsiliot. With an elevation of 2,244 meters above sea level, Karuna Hill boasts a gently rounded peak that stands out amidst the surrounding landscape, with a local relief of less than 300 meters. This stunning hill is part of the family farm of the late William Chemweno, a prominent farmer and businessman in Moiben area.  The name Karuna originates from India and holds deep meaning. It is commonly translated as compassion or mercy, and sometimes as self-compassion or spiritual longing. This concept holds great significance in the Indian religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism Karuna Hill is a haven of natural beauty, adorned with a diverse range of flora and fauna that adds to its allure. Its natural beauty is a sight to behold, making it ...

 By William Kiptoo  ( Compiled   from various sources) In February 1903: Three brothers (Van Brenda) from South Africa arrived in Uasin Gishu. They made their selections of land around Sergoit Rock. Each obtained ten thousand acres of land. The van Bredas remained the sole white inhabitants of the Uasin Gishu plateau until John de Waal (who had moved from Lake Nakuru), the Arnoldi and Styn family all Afrikaners, arrived in 1905. The eldest of the Van Breda brothers was later ambushed by the Keiyo and his ear almost severed by a simi (knobkerrie) when returning to his house from a walk. 1906: The largest single South African group (they were 300 from South Africa, but 47 arrived in Uasin Gishu) led by Jan Van Rensburg; a prominent Transvaal farmer moved to Uasin Gishu. They were allocated 60,000 acres block of unsurveyed land in Moiben Plateu by the Van Brenda brothers. They had been told of the fertility and emptiness of land in Uasin Gishu plateau which was about to be a...

  (Excerpt from Rose Musyoka 2004) Munyaka is located on the northeastern side of Eldoret town about 5 km from the town centre. It has developed on part of a 300 acre farm owned by a white settler. This farm was purchased by three individuals in the 1960s, each buying 100 acres (40.5 hectares). In 1983, the 100-acre portion that became Munyaka was purchased from the individual who had initially bought it by a 5-member self-help group, as a business venture. Later the five members subdivided the area into small portions, all of which were sold and buyers started settling on the farm from 1984. The self-help group that bought Munyaka later purchased the Mwitirithia farm adjoining the area to the south and changed its name to Munyaka-Mwitirithia Land Buying Company. The subdivision The self-help group subdivided Munyaka farm into 969 plots measuring about 50 x 100 ft (46.5 sq m) (see Figure 9 below). The resultant layout is regular. Development was slow initially but gained pace as a ...