Wonders of Sergoit Hills

By Bakari Kemei During my childhood, I attended Emsilies Primary School for my elementary education. My parents had recently moved from Charar Scheme and Tugen Estate to Kapchunga. Interestingly, a portion of my family remained in Charar Scheme, giving my siblings and me two homes to navigate with the permission of our strict parents. The occupant of Karo Farm was an Indian man named Hudda. The mzungus compound housed a variety of fruits, which became a target for some of the older students who would steal them for lunch. The stolen fruits were a delicacy for certain individuals, while others would only dare to try them at their own risk. Another exciting activity was swimming in the nearby stream and dam, especially during lunchtime for those who had no food due to the long distance from their homes to school. Although my home was 4km away from the school, my siblings and I would run the entire way for lunch. It was fascinating how we could cover 8km in just one hour. One other wonder...

  A few notes on the early history of the Uasin Gishu f rom the Kenya Scrapbook  b y A.C. Hoey. *** PART 1:  (This piece was written about 1956 for a church magazine) Few people had heard of the Uasin Gishu Plateau prior to the year 1900, and the first reference I can find is that made by Major JR MacDonald RE who headed a survey party in the years 1891 1894, exploring a route for a railway to be built from Mombasa to Uganda. In his book "Soldiering and Surveying in British East Africa" he specially refers to the rolling downs and beautiful grass country of the Uasin Gishu when he was making his way from Naivasha to Mumias.  It was in 1905 that I met in Naivasha a very nice Afrikander by the name of Van Breda who was keen on taking up land in the southernmost part of Uasin Gishu Plateau, near the Elgeyo Escarpment. It was about this time, having heard of the wonderful shooting to be obtained in the Uasin Gishu, that I made a safari. I had considerable difficulty in o...

By Herman Landgrebe (Written in 1983) Source: Habari, friends of East Africa HC Kirk, usually known as HC or Bert to his friends, or Bwana Mrefu to the Africans, came to Kenya in 1907 just before his twenty first birthday. After several visits to friends he knew or knew of, he joined Mr Russell Bowker, the first owner of Mt Margaret Estate in the Kedo Valley near Kijabe. On joining Mr Bowker they set off on a six months shooting safari to the Uasin Gishu by ox waggon, Mrs Bowker going too, complete with her sewing machine. Mr Kirk received no pay but would be fed by the Bowkers and what he shot, obviously the ivory, would be his reward. He was to drive the wagon also. A base camp was set up on the Uasin Gishu side of the Nzoia River near a big swamp not far from Hoey's bridge where it joined the main Eldoret-Kitale. In 1908 Mr Kirk left Mt Margaret and joined Mr AC Hoey at Sergoit on the shores of the lake. At that time Mr Hoey owned Karuna Farm where Mr Alec farmed later, until al...

By William Kiptoo  Have you had a chance to visit the Eldoret European War Cemetery? Well, I had the chance to explore this historical site just yesterday. Situated in Uasin Gishu county, approximately 3 kilometers northeast of Eldoret town center, towards Iten, the cemetery is conveniently located near the Eldoret airstrip, nestled between the newly established Subaru Estate. Previously, a narrow track led visitors to the cemetery, but due to the construction of Alphax College and new buildings, access has been rerouted. Now, visitors can reach the cemetery by following a winding path that meanders around Subaru Estate.  The significance of this cemetery lies in its five Commonwealth burials from the Second World War, along with one French war grave. In 1945, the colonial government designated this site to honor the fallen soldiers and their families who bravely participated in World War II. Over the years, these burial sites have been meticulously maintained and periodically...