Kimumu (Eldoret)

 By William Kiptoo

Kimumu is an estate located in the outskirts of Eldoret, near Chepkoilel Junction, off Iten Road. It covers a huge piece of land that stretched from East of Eldoret post office all the way to Marura and Eldoret University.
Originally known as Eastern Municipality farm, it was first owned by a Boer farmer named Theunissen. Later, it was owned by another colonial farmer who was known as Kapmarobia by the locals (meaning someone broke because he was often broke.)
After Kapmarobia, a Norwegian settler took over the land. The locals had a hard time understanding his English, so they thought he was mumbling when he spoke. They started calling him Mumu, which eventually led to the name Kamumu and then Kimumu. Mumu specialized in growing wattle trees, which were used by the East African Tanning company in Eldoret.
After Kenya gained independence in 1963, Kimumu was designated as public land for the future expansion of the town. Wattle trees continued to be grown on the farm. Nearby, there was another farm owned by a settler named Jim, who was known as Kapkabunga by the locals for his cattle keeping skills. Kapkabunga is the present-day Illula.
In 1974, President Kenyatta gave Kimumu and Illula farms to the Kikuyu through the Nyakinywa Land Buying company. Many Kikuyu families settled in the area, as most Kalenjin people preferred to live in rural areas. The Kikuyu families discovered an abundance of papyrus reeds along the Chepkoilel river, which they named irrura or Marura, leading to the names Illula and Marura. Papyrus reeds (Marura) is called Mutwot in Kalenjin language

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