Misplaced Pages

#774225

61-529: The Kisumu massacre occurred when the presidential guard and police forces shot and killed several civilians in Kisumu Town , the capital of Nyanza Province in Kenya . This took place on 25 October 1969. The official death toll from government sources stands at 11 fatalities but other sources place this number at closer to 100. Victims included women and children, some of whom were shot 30–50 km away from

122-553: A Hindu temple The term used to refer to a native of Kisumu is jakisumo (plural, jokisumo ). Notable jokisumo include The city has "Friendship" status with Cheltenham , in the United Kingdom. Kisumu's sister cities are Roanoke, Virginia and Boulder, Colorado , in the United States. Nyanza Province The region is located in the southwestern part of Kenya around Lake Victoria . It includes part of

183-519: A "Millennium City" – the first of its kind in the world and also in East Africa . Kisumu's elevation is 1,131 m (3,711 ft) and is about 320 km (200 mi) northwest of Nairobi, on the shores of Lake Victoria. It lies at the northeastern edge of the Winam Gulf , a long, shallow arm that protrudes from the main body of Lake Victoria. Kisumu is 24 km (15 mi) south of

244-533: A Ksh. 6.8 billion road project for a major overhaul of Kisumu's road network on 24 July 2009. The city is connected to the cities of Nakuru , Nairobi and Mombasa via the A104 highway and to the city of Eldoret via the B1 highway. A 450 kilometres (280 mi) Lake Victoria ring road along the shores of the lake is currently under construction and will pass by the city. During World War II, three aircraft operated by

305-405: A few. The Busia-Kisumu highway is becoming increasingly congested, posing risks to road users. The County Government of Kisumu has been urged to consider dualizing the roads to prevent accidents that have claimed numerous lives and caused lasting physical and psychological harm to motorists and pedestrians. Kisumu has a variety of schools to choose from, both public and private, including: Kisumu

366-583: A number of prominent party supporters were arrested. The country's main opposition party, Kenya Peoples Union was banned, turning Kenya into a one party state . Oginga Odinga was placed under house arrest until 1971. Even after his release he never fully regained his political clout. Mak’Anyengo , who was only released from earlier detention a year earlier, was arrested again and detained without trial until 1974. Jomo Kenyatta did not visit Nyanza Province again until his death in August 1978. His government downplayed

427-475: A pioneering Mau Mau lawyer, cabinet minister and Oginga Odinga ally, died in a car crash under mysterious circumstances. Tom Mboya , one of the few remaining members of the Luo community in the upper echelons of government at the time, widely touted as the heir apparent to Kenyatta, was assassinated 6 months after Argwings death on 5 July 1969. The political tension in the country was at its peak and these events set

488-546: A result of the collapse of the East African Community . However, the city spurred with the reformation of the community in 1996 and with its designation as a "city". The port has been stimulated by the transformation of international business and trade, as well as the shipments of goods destined for Uganda, Tanzania , Burundi , Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo . Currently, Kisumu

549-521: A security Act was passed in Parliament in July 1966 that permitted the government to carry out detention without trial ostensibly to maintain law and order in situations where the current order was threatened. This Act was immediately used against KPU members. Two months after the election, In August 1966, a series of dawn raids by government police occurred. Ochola Mak'Anyengo (the secretary general of

610-408: A series of outdoor pavilions laid out in a formation similar to that of a Luo homestead. Some of the pavilions contain live animals. For example, one pavilion contains numerous aquaria with a wide variety of fish from Lake Victoria , along with explanatory posters. Another pavilion contains a terrarium containing mambas , spitting cobras , puff adders and other venomous Kenyan snakes. Outside,

671-598: A tall town clock stands in the middle of the road. It was unveiled on 19 August 1938 by the then Governor of Kenya Sir Robert Brooke-Popham . The town clock was built in memory of Kassim Lakha, who arrived in East Africa in 1871 and died in Kampala in 1910. It was erected by his sons Mohamed, Alibhai, Hassan and Rahimtulla Kassim, as the inscription on the Town Clock reads. Kisumu Museum, established in 1980, has

SECTION 10

#1732765399775

732-668: Is subsistence agriculture , leading to relatively low production volumes. Current crop yields are considered to be significantly lower than the potential afforded by soil and climate conditions. Current low land utilisation and yields are driven by the lack of guaranteed markets and associated support services. Like agriculture, livestock farming is currently performed primarily on a subsistence basis. Cattle are predominantly indigenous breeds with lower milk output than grade cattle. The Kenyan part of Lake Victoria covers approximately 400,000 hectares (4,100 square kilometres), with 550 kilometres (342 mi) of lake shoreline; most of this shoreline

793-414: Is 22.9°C. Kisumu has highly fertile land and variations in temperature and rainfall with two rainy seasons per year across the region provide a suitable environment for a broad range of agricultural crops. The Kisumu region has approximately 1.6 million hectares of agricultural land. However, it is estimated that only 58 percent of the land is currently used. The majority of farming in the lake basin region

854-466: Is an important link in the trade route between Lake Victoria and Mombasa because of its water and rail connections. It is also the chief terminus for the agricultural produce of Nyanza and Western regions. Kisumu International Airport has regular flights to Nairobi and other neighbouring cities such as Mombasa . According to the United Nations , Kisumu is now recognized as a key city and

915-493: Is better known as a viewing point for its unobstructed sunsets over the lake than for its occasional hippos . Hippo Point is located near the village of Dunga, a few kilometres southwest of the city. The village also has a fishing port and a camping site. Kit Mikayi , a large rock with three rocks on top, is located off Kisumu Bondo Road towards Bondo . Kit-mikayi means "Stones of the first wife" or "First Wife Rocks" in Dholuo ,

976-511: Is home to many universities and colleges: Among the places of worship , they are predominantly Christian churches and temples : Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kisumu ( Catholic Church ),Jesus celebration centre(JCC international) Anglican Church of Kenya ( Anglican Communion ),((Citam Church Kisumu)) Presbyterian Church of East Africa ( World Communion of Reformed Churches ), Baptist Convention of Kenya ( Baptist World Alliance ), Assemblies of God . There are also Muslim mosques and

1037-516: Is one of the fastest-growing cities in Kenya. It is thriving with the sugar and rice irrigation industries, whose contribution to the national economy is immense due to its natural resources and as the epicentre for business in Kenya. English is one of two official languages of Kenya, the other being Kiswahili . Most people in Kisumu are trilingual and are also fluent in Dholuo , the local language of

1098-745: Is the empowerment of the Dunga Wetland community and improvement of the livelihood security of its people. Therefore, some of the main focuses in the centre are promoting eco-cultural tourism and facilitating the conservation of the Dunga Papyrus Wetland Ecosystem. Kisumu is the location of the Kisumu Impala Sanctuary . During British rule, the Impala Park sanctuary was called Connaught Parade. Measuring just 1 square kilometre (0.39 sq mi),

1159-503: Is under-used. Attractions in the city include Kibuye Market, Oile Market, the Kisumu Museum, an impala sanctuary, a bird sanctuary , Hippo Point, shopping malls and the nearby Kit Mikaye and Ndere Island National Park . Although Kisumu has modernized over the years, it still maintains an old town feel, especially on the outskirts, and the culture is still very ingrained. On the main street of Kisumu city, Oginga Odinga Road,

1220-513: The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics . Apart from being an important political city, it is one of the premier industrial and commercial centres in Kenya. It is also an intellectual city with many PhDs. The city is currently undergoing an urban rejuvenation of the downtown and lower town which includes modernizing the lake front, decongesting main streets, and making the streets pedestrian-friendly. Culturally, Kisumu serves as

1281-563: The Kenya People's Union (KPU) . Several members of Parliament defected from the ruling party KANU to join KPU . A parliamentary by election – the little general election – was held in June 1966 that forced these members to defend their seats. Outside Nyanza Province , Oginga Odinga's home turf, most KPU members including Bildad Kaggia lost their seats. Shortly after the formation of KPU ,

SECTION 20

#1732765399775

1342-531: The Lake Victoria area in the former Nyanza Province . It is the second-largest city after Kampala in the Lake Victoria Basin. The city has a population of slightly over 600,000. The metro region, including Maseno and Ahero, has a population of 1,155,574 people (560,942 males, 594,609 females and 23 intersex) according to the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census which was conducted by

1403-484: The Luo , Kenya's fourth-largest ethnic group, to which 90% of Kisumu residents belong. Due to its growth since the advent of devolution , there has been a recent increase in other local ethnic groups within the city. Kisumu features a tropical rainforest climate with no true dry season and significant rainfall year-round. January is the driest month while the month of April receives the most rainfall. The average temperature

1464-630: The Nandi and the Maasai. Some Luo words were acquired from the Maragoli. Kisumu City is believed to be one of the oldest settlements in Kenya with historical records indicating that Kisumu was dominated by diverse communities at different times long before Europeans arrived. The people from the Nandi, Kalenjin , Kisii , Maasai , Luo and Luhya communities converged at the tip of Lake Victoria and called

1525-514: The equator and has, due to its elevation, moderate temperatures. The metropolitan region comprises the city and its suburbs and satellite towns of Maseno , Kondele, and Ahero . When Europeans first settled in the area in the late 19th century, Kisumu became a trading post – attracting Luo people from as far as Migori and Siaya County . The Kisumu region was then occupied by the Luo community. A person going to Kisumu at that time would say, "Adhi Kisuma" to mean I'm going to trade. Derived from

1586-535: The standard gauge to Kisumu, a new station and a port on Lake Victoria being planned. The plans not materialising due to lack of funding, a project to rebuild the metre gauge line from the Ugandan capital Kampala to the frontier and onwards to the existing Kenyan metre gauge railway past Kisumu found funding from the African Development Bank in 2022. Former president Mwai Kibaki launched

1647-549: The 1999 census within an area of 16.162 km , or 12.613 km of land. The climate is tropical humid . The following counties make up the area of the former Nyanza province: Several new districts were created in 2007 in Kenya, some of which were in Nyanza Province: The predominant language in Nyanza is Dholuo , a Nilotic language and Ekegusii (Bantu Languages) whose origins are from South Sudan . It

1708-498: The 2000s. The first took place outside Kisumu on 15 August 2000. The brakes on the train failed, causing it to roll. Thirteen people were killed and 37 received injuries. The second took place on the morning of 16 October 2005, when a matatu (taxi minibus) was struck by a passenger train. Six people died and 23 more were injured. After that there have been accidents in its major towns with notable black spots: Ojola/Kisian , Kisat bridge , Ahero , Sondu , Awasi just to mention

1769-599: The Kenya Petroleum Oil Workers Union and Oginga Odinga's ally), Oluande Koduol (Oginga Odinga's private secretary) and Peter Ooko (the general secretary of the East African Common Services Civil Servants Union) were arrested together with other KPU members and detained without trial. Several members of the Luo community in government lost their jobs. On January 29, 1969, Argwings Kodhek ,

1830-498: The Kenyatta government for adopting a corrupt land redistribution policy that did not benefit the poor and landless. Pio Gama Pinto , a freedom fighter, Oginga Odinga's chief tactician and link to the eastern bloc was assassinated on 25 February 1965 in what is recognised as Kenya's first political assassination. Odinga became increasingly sidelined in government and was eventually compelled to resign and start his own political party –

1891-485: The Luo language. It is a weeping rock; it is believed that Mikayi (literally, "the first wife") went up the hill to the stones when her husband took a second wife and has been weeping ever since. It has become a local pilgrimage site for adherents of the Legio Maria sect who, come to the rock to pray and fast for several weeks at a time. Ndere Island is a small island 4.2 square kilometres (1.6 sq mi) in

Kisumu massacre - Misplaced Pages Continue

1952-519: The SS Sybilla and the SS Nyanza . The Uganda Railway from the port of Mombasa reached Kisumu in 1901. Until 2013 passenger trains operate between Nairobi and Kisumu using the revamped meter gauge rail run by the defunct Rift Valley Railways . A standard gauge railway from Nairobi to Naivasha was opened up to Suswa in 2019. A second section of 262 kilometres (163 mi) should have brought

2013-479: The South African Air Force crashed into Lake Victoria soon after take-off from Kisumu Airport. The first, a Lockheed Lodestar aircraft number "K"-248 (ex ZS-ATK) carrying a senior South African military officer, Major General Dan Pienaar , crashed on 19 December 1942, killing all 12 persons on board. The other two crashes involved Douglas C-47 planes; the first on 11 May 1945 (one fatality) and

2074-699: The Winam Gulf of Lake Victoria. It was gazetted as the Ndere Island National Reserve in November 1986 and has since been uninhabited. It has sweeping views over the lake in a much more serene and tranquil environment than the mainland. Moi Stadium plays home to various teams such as the Kisumu All Stars and Kisumu Telkom FC. Peter Anyang' Nyong'o , the governor and father of Hollywood star Lupita Nyong'o , announced that

2135-534: The airport cargo facility after completion of the passenger terminals is currently going on in anticipation of increased trade brought about by the recreated East African Community of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Lake Victoria ferries have operated from the port linking the railway to Mwanza and Bukoba in Tanzania, and to Entebbe, Port Bell, and Jinja in Uganda. The first steamships built in Kisumu in 1905 were

2196-545: The beginning of the Lake Marine Services. The SS Winifred (1901) and the SS Sybil (1901) were later added to the fleet in 1902 and 1904, respectively. On Friday, 20 December 1901, the railway line reached the Kisumu pier, adopting a new name, Port Florence. By February 1903, the railway line had been opened for goods and passenger transportation. Kisumu was also privileged to host the first flight in Kenya;

2257-471: The centre of the Luo people of East Africa . It was the most prominent urban centre in the pre-colonial and post-colonial period. It remains prominent in the modern era for natives of the Kavirondo region. It was briefly renamed Port Florence , before its name was reverted back. The city serves as the capital of Kisumu County and was the immediate former capital of now-defunct Nyanza Province . It

2318-465: The construction of an Anglican cathedral). In 1903, the township boundaries were gazetted and some 4,900 ha (12,000 acres), including water, set aside for its development. The new township reverted to its original name, Kisumu, in substitution for Port Florence. At this time, there was an 'Old Kisumu' that consisted of two rows of stalls (Dukas) on Mumias Road, north of the Gulf. It was demolished in

2379-634: The country. Kisumu is represented in the Kenya Basketball Federation League by Kisumu Lakeside which plays its home games at Jomo Kenyatta Sports Grounds. Before the jet airline era, Kisumu was a landing point on the British flying boat passenger and mail route from Southampton to Cape Town. Kisumu linked Port Bell and Nairobi. Kisumu is served by Kisumu International Airport which has international status, with regular daily flights to Nairobi and Mombasa. Expansion of

2440-509: The county will build a brand new stadium. At the same time, the country's current government has plans to build a national stadium. As of 2018, neither plan has materialized. Kisumu is represented in the nationwide rugby league by Kisumu RFC. The city is also host to a leg of the national rugby sevens circuit, one of only six city hosts. The Kisumu leg is referred to as the Dala sevens and the annual tournament attracts thousands of fans from across

2501-519: The current police workshop was the first hangar in Kenya . Before the jet airline era, the city was a landing point on the British flying boat passenger and mail route from Southampton to Cape Town . Kisumu also linked Port Bell to Nairobi. In the meantime, it was realised that the site originally chosen for the township north of the Nyanza Gulf was unsuitable for the town's expansion, due to its flat topography and poor soils. An alternative site

Kisumu massacre - Misplaced Pages Continue

2562-470: The de facto leaders of their ethnic communities with Jomo Kenyatta representing the Kikuyu and Oginga Odinga representing the Luo . The global cold war was at its peak. The western and eastern blocs actively sought to influence local policy making and win allies resulting in a proxy cold war in Kenya. Local politics became enmeshed with cold war ideological divisions. Odinga and Bildad Kaggia criticised

2623-464: The eastern edge of the lake and is inhabited predominantly by the Luo people and Kisii people . There are also Bantu-speaking tribes, such as the Kuria, and some Luhya , living in the province. The province derives its name from Nyanza, a Bantu word which means a large mass of water. The provincial capital was Kisumu , the third-largest city in Kenya. The province had a population of 4,392,196 at

2684-495: The embers further. A riot started. The Presidential guard and police opened fire. Several civilians, men women and children were shot. By official accounts 11 people lost their lives. Other sources quote figures as high as 100 civilians. Some of these victims were shot in Ahero and Awasi, up to 50 km away from the site of the actual riots. Several people were injured. Two days after the massacre, all KPU members of parliament and

2745-670: The epicentre of the riots. According to media reports, the government of the day attempted to cover up the extent of the massacre. The 1960s were a tumultuous time in Kenya’s history. The Independence struggle culminated in the release of Jomo Kenyatta in 1961 following a campaign started by Oginga Odinga who fought for Kenyatta's release from detention in order for him to take up the leadership mantle. Jomo Kenyatta became Kenya's first president in 1964 and Oginga Odinga his vice president. Despite Kenyatta enjoying widespread support across different ethnic groups, he and Odinga were perceived as

2806-399: The event. Almost all the photographic and film evidence from the day was destroyed. The government subsequently neglected the development of Nyanza Province, resulting in abject poverty and lowering of the standard of living. The political rivalry between the supporters of Jomo Kenyatta and Oginga Odinga has waxed and waned since then but never been resolved. The general election of 2017 and

2867-449: The exhibition also explains the origins of the Luo people, their migration to western Kenya, traditional healing plants, and the process of establishing a new home. Dunga Beach and Wetland is known for its biodiversity and its cultural rich and diverse papyrus wetland ecosystem and local community respectively. Ecofinder Kenya has established Dunga Wetland Pedagogical Centre at Dunga Beach, a grass-roots led intervention whose cardinal goal

2928-477: The incumbent party had plans to rig the elections. The election results were contested by Raila Odinga and his supporters. Demonstrations in Kisumu were violently suppressed by police, resulting in the death of civilians, including men, women and children not involved in the riots. Kisumu Kisumu ( / k iː ˈ s uː m uː / kee- SOO -moo ) is the third-largest city in Kenya located in

2989-399: The museum has a few additional exhibits, including a snake pit and a crocodile container. Other pavilions show weaponry, jewellery, farm tools and other artefacts of the various peoples of Nyanza Province . Additionally, there are exhibits of stuffed animals, birds and fish. One pavilion houses the prehistoric TARA rock art , which was removed for its own protection to the museum after it

3050-533: The place "sumo" which literally means a place of barter trade . Each community called it different names, for instance: Kisumu was identified by the British explorers in early 1898 as an alternative railway terminus and port for the Uganda Railway , then under construction. It was to replace Port Victoria , then an important centre on the caravan trade route, near the delta of the Nzoia River . Kisumu

3111-672: The plan. Another plan was later prepared in May 1900, when plots were allocated to a few European firms as well as to Indian traders who had travelled to Kisumu on contracts to build the Uganda Railway and had decided to settle at the expanding terminus. A later plan included a flying boat jetty (now used by the Fisheries Department). In October 1900, the 62-ton ship SS William Mackinnon was reassembled and registered in Kisumu, and made its maiden voyage to Entebbe , marking

SECTION 50

#1732765399775

3172-414: The sanctuary is one of Kenya's smallest wildlife preserves. As its name suggests, it is home to a herd of impala, some hippos, and many reptiles and birds. Additionally, several baboons (monkeys) and leopards who faced difficulties in the wild are housed in cages. Over 115 different species of birds live there. Hippo Point is a 240 ha (590 acres) viewing area on Lake Victoria. Despite its name, it

3233-421: The second exactly three months later, on 11 July 1945 (28 fatalities). The bodies from the two earlier accidents were repatriated to South Africa, those from the third accident are buried in the Kisumu war-graves cemetery. The cause of the accidents is currently thought to have been the katabatic wind condition which often affects Kisumu in the early morning. Two serious railway accidents occurred near Kisumu in

3294-626: The stage for the Kisumu massacre. Four months after Tom Mboya's assassination, President Kenyatta visited Kisumu , the capital of Nyanza Province in order to inaugurate the newly built New Nyanza Provincial General hospital , a Russian funded hospital. President Kenyatta sought to stamp his authority in Nyanza province amidst the tension. The crowd in attendance became hostile, openly challenging Kenyatta, showing support for KPU and accusing him of involvement in Tom Mboya's murder. A war of words ensued between Kenyatta and Oginga Odinga which stoked

3355-471: The subsequent post-election violence strangely echoed events in the 1960s. President Jomo Kenyatta's son, Uhuru Kenyatta was running against Oginga Odinga's son, Raila Odinga in the presidential election. Chris Msando , the head of IT and communication of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission was found tortured and murdered 12 days before the election amidst accusations that

3416-408: The twenties when new plots became available on Odera and Ogada Streets in the present-day Kisumu, hence the new area acquired the name 'New Bazaar'. Winston Churchill visited Kisumu in 1907. By the 1930s and 40s, the city had become a leading centre for commerce, administrative and military installations. In the 1960s the population of Asians in relation to locals was significantly higher. The town

3477-454: The word "Kisuma", the word for a trading post in Luo is "Kisumo", and in Nandi , "Kesumett". The current name Kisumu is an English corruption of the word "Kisumo" or "Kesumett". An opposing theory states that Kisumu acquired its name from 'Kusuma', the Maragoli word for 'trading'. Because, before Luo arrived in the area, the Maragoli were already trading with other people in the area like

3538-479: Was defaced by graffiti in its original location. The museum's most important and largest exhibition is the UNESCO -sponsored Ber-gi-dala. This is a full-scale recreation of a traditional Luo homestead. Ber-gi-dala consists of the home, granaries and livestock corrals of an imaginary Luo man as well as the homes of each of his three wives and his eldest son. Through signs and taped programs in both Luo and English,

3599-409: Was elevated to the status of a municipal board in 1940 and later to a municipal council in 1960. In the early sixties, very little development took place in Kisumu, with an acute shortage in housing, shops and offices. The situation was made worse by the influx of locals into the town following the declaration of independence in 1963. The city's growth and prosperity slowed down temporarily in 1977, as

3660-538: Was ideally located on the shores of Lake Victoria at the cusp of the Winam Gulf , at the end of the caravan trail from Pemba , Mombasa, and Malindi and had the potential for connections to the whole of the Lake region via steam ships. In July 1899, the first skeleton plan for Kisumu was prepared. This included landing places and wharves along the northern lakeshore, near the present-day Airport Road. Demarcations for government buildings and retail shops were also included in

3721-489: Was therefore identified and the town's location moved to the ridge on the southern shore of the Gulf, where the town is today. Consequently, another plan was prepared in 1902, which provided the basic layout of the new town on the southern ridge. This was followed by the construction of a number of government buildings, notably the former Provincial Commissioner's Office (now State Lodge) and the Old Prison (now earmarked for

SECTION 60

#1732765399775
#774225