Wonders of Sergoit Hills

  By William Kiptoo In the early days of the Uasin Gishu Plateau, tractors were uncommon. Settlers relied on oxen-drawn plows to cultivate their farms. They especially preferred local oxen from the Keiyo as they were hardy. Plows were made of wood, held together with metal bolts and bars. Tractors were introduced around the 1920s and 1930s, as technology and infrastructure developed to support their use on the farms. It was not until 1945 after World War II that a significant number of tractors began to arrive in Kenya and Uasin Gishu. While oxen remained a source of power on larger farms, tractors gradually became more prevalent. Massey Ferguson and Fordson models were popular choices. Other brands like Zetor, Fendt, and New Holland were also available, with Zetor exports to Kenya starting as early as 1965. Massey Ferguson models like the MF-360 and MF-375 were particularly well-suited to Kenya's agricultural demands and became favorites among farmers.

  Cherunya is a tiny trading center located along the Eldoret-Eldama Ravine road, about 20 kilometers away from Eldoret town. This area grew off as is center for tractor fuel sale. The center is associated with the late Kiptalam Arap Cherunya, who used to own a large farm nearby. Cherunya was a respected figure in the Uasin Gishu farming community and his contributions are still remembered today. He owned several farms in the county including the expensive 680 acre farm bordering Langas in Eldoret town that was at the center of controversy.  

  Chembulet center in Tembelio Ward, Moiben lies along Eldoret-Iten road. Mzee Chembulet was among the earliest known residents to settle and invest in Chembulet area. As a respected farmer and the first person to establish a shop near the present-day center, he became a point of reference for the local community. Whenever people from nearby villages were asked where they were headed, they would respond, “Awendi Kapchembulet”, meaning “I’m going to Chembulet’s place.” Over time, this phrase was shortened to simply Chembulet, a name that stuck and eventually became official. While Mzee Chembulet's influence shaped the local naming of the center, Kapkei and Cheburbur, two colonial-era farms, is also tied tied to this history. It is said that one of the settlers, whose name has unfortunately been lost to history frequently used to refer to the local African workers as “Chura”—the Swahili word for “frogs.” The term was likely a racial slur used to dehumanize the local population. In a...