Chepkoilel


William Kiptoo

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Chepkoilel

Chepkoilel is located in Moiben, Uasin Gishu. It is historically associated with the Sirikwa people. Oral traditions and archaeological evidence point to the early occupation and settlement of the area by the Sirikwa. Scholarly work on Kalenjin names and local oral histories suggests that the name Chepkoilel may refer to stones, specifically the white stones of the Sirikwa clans.
In the early 1920s, the area around University of Eldoret (previously Chepkoilel campus) was set aside by the colonial government as an experimental or model farm for agricultural development. In 1946, Chepkoilel was developed into a Farmers Training Centre to provide formal training for agricultural technicians. This agricultural purpose explains the extensive landholdings still associated with the campus area today.
In 1984, the site was converted into a Teachers Training College to offer diploma-level science teacher training. In 1990, the facility was taken over by Moi University and became known as Chepkoilel Campus, offering natural, basic, and applied science programmes.
In August 2010, the campus was elevated to constituent college status as Chepkoilel University College. Following the award of a charter in March 2013, the institution was renamed the University of Eldoret.
Chepkoilel sits within an important hydrological landscape, including the Chepkoilel River and nearby wetlands, which have experienced land cover and land use changes driven by expanding agriculture, urbanisation, and institutional development.



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