Taita–Taveta County

Taita–Taveta County
County
Salt Lick Lodge
Flag Coat of arms
Taita-Taveta County in Kenya
Coordinates: 3°27′S 38°24′E
Country	Kenya
Formed	4 March 2013
Capital	Mwatate
Government
• Governor	Andrew Mwadime
• Deputy Governor	Christine Saru Kilalo
• Senator	Johnes Mwaruma
• Woman Representative	Lydia Haika
Area
• Total	17,083.9 km^2 (6,596.1 sq mi)
Elevation	2,228 m (7,310 ft)
Population  (2024)
• Total	360,471
• Density	21/km^2 (55/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Taitan/Mdawida and Tavetas/watuveta
GDP (PPP)
• Total	$1.639 Billion (40th)(2022)[1]
• Per Capita	$4,552 (2022) (21st)
GDP (NOMINAL)
• Total	$602.0 Million (2022) (40th)
• Per Capita	$1,639 (2022) (21st)
Time zone	UTC+3 (EAT)
Website	www.taitataveta.go.ke

Taita–Taveta County is a county in Kenya, located approximately 200 km northwest of Mombasa, and 360 km southeast of Nairobi, it has a port and major gateway to the United Republic of Tanzania through Taveta.^[2] The county headquarters are located in Mwatate. It is one of the six counties in the Coastal region of Kenya.^[3] Major towns include Voi, Taveta, Mwatate, and Wundanyi.^[4]

The population was 340,671 persons according to the 2019 national census, with population densities ranging from 14 persons per km² to more than 117 persons per km².^[5] The county's climate is of varied rainfall with the lower zones receiving an average of 440 mm of rainfall per annum and the highland areas receiving up to 1,900 mm of rainfall. The altitude range from 500 m above sea level to 2,300 meters above sea level at Vuria^[6] peak, which is the county's highest point.

Land use

Taita-Taveta county covers an area of 17,083.9 km², of which 62% or 11,100 km² is within Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks. The remaining 5,876 km² consists of small scale farms, ranches, sisal estates, water bodies (such as Lakes Chala and Jipe in Taveta and Mzima springs), and the hilltop forests.^[7]

The lowland areas of the county outside the national parks are farms, ranches, estates, and wildlife sanctuaries which receive an average of 440 mm of rain per annum whereas the highlands receive up to 1900 mm. Altitudes range from 500 m above sea level to almost 2300 m at the highest point in the county of Vuria Peak. The county has approximately 25 ranches for cattle grazing. The three operating sisal estates in the county are Teita Sisal Estate, Voi Sisal Estate and Taveta Sisal Estate. Many ranches have ventured into wildlife tourism and conservation. The Taita Hills and Saltlick Lodges sanctuary are among the well known tourism attractions in Taita Taveta.

There are 48 forests which have survived on hill tops in Taita-Taveta county of which 28 are gazetted and are under government protection and management. They range in size from small 500 square metre patches with a few remnant trees to modestly vast 2 square kilometre indigenous and exotic forest mountains. These forests are part of the unique Eastern Arc range of forests found mostly in eastern Tanzania with the Taita Hills forming the only Kenyan portion of that forest type.

Taita Hills forest holds a unique biodiversity with 13 taxa of plants and 9 taxa of animals found only in the Taita Hills and nowhere else in the world.^[8] In addition, 22 plant species found in the Taita Hills forests are typical of the Eastern Arc forests. Within these beautiful indigenous forests, bubbles of clean water flow to the lowland areas catering for both human economic activities and wildlife.

Human – Wildlife conflict

Tsavo National Park covers approximately two-thirds of the land area of Taita-Taveta county, growth in human population causes conflict with wildlife.^[9]

The national population census carried out in 1969 put the number of persons in the Taita-Taveta district at 110,742.^[10] The Kenya Population and Housing Census of August 2019 found that the number of people in Taita-Taveta County was 340,671^[5] representing an increase of 207.6% in fifty years. The growth of the human population means that the land close to the park boundaries is converted from bush land into settlements. Consequently, people have been killed by wildlife, as others lose crops and livestock.

The national government has a mechanism for financially compensating families for wildlife-related deaths and destruction of property, but residents of Taita-Taveta say the process of claiming compensation is too tedious. A television news report broadcast in September 2018 revealed that only ten out of more than 1,500 claims for compensation in the county had been paid out in the previous five years.^[11]

Tourist attractions

Lake Jipe, Lake Chala, Kasigau Mountain,^[12] Taita Hills, Shomoto Hill, Aruba Dam,^[13] Mudanda Rock,^[14] Yatta Plateau,^[15] Lugard Falls,^[16] Tsavo National Reserve, Shetani Lava Flow,^[17] Mzima Springs.^[18]

Population

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1969	110,742	—
1979	147,597	+33.3%
1989	207,273	+40.4%
1999	246,671	+19.0%
2009	284,657	+15.4%
2019	340,671	+19.7%
Kenya Administrative Divisions:[19] 2019 Census:[20]

Religion

Religion in Taita–Taveta County^[21]

  Christianity (91%)

  Islam (7.4%)

  Other religions (0.6%)

  Atheism (1%)

Sub-Counties

The seat of the county government of Taita-Taveta is at the small town of Wundanyi, and the largest town being Voi.

Sub-counties of Taita Taveta
Subcounty	Population[5]
Mwatate	81,659
Taveta	91,222
Voi	111,831
Wundanyi	55,959
Total	340,671

Constituencies

The county has four constituencies:

• Taveta Constituency
• Wundanyi Constituency
• Mwatate Constituency
• Voi Constituency

Wards

The county has the following wards:^[22]

• Bomeni Ward
• Werugha Ward
• Rong’e Ward^[23]
• Mahoo Ward
• Kasighau Ward
• Sagala Ward
• Marungu Ward
• Kaloleni Ward
• Ngolia Ward
• Wusi/Kishamba Ward
• Mbololo Ward
• Chawia Ward
• Bura Ward^[24]
• Mwanda/Mghange Ward
• Mata Ward
• Wundanyi/Mbale Ward
• Wumingu/Kishushe Ward
• Mboghoni Ward
• Chala Ward
• Mwatate Ward

See also

• List of ranches, estates and sanctuaries in Taita–Taveta County
• Bungule
• Dembwa
• Lushangonyi
• Miasenyi
• Ngolia

References

1. "GCP". Retrieved 31 August 2021.
2. "County Profile". County Government of TaitaTaveta. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
3. "Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani". Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
4. "Taita Taveta County Fact Sheet" (PDF). County Government of Taita Taveta. 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
5. "2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Volume I: Population by County and Sub-County". Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. 4 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
6. "Vuria Hill". Visit Nyali. 16 November 2021. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
7. Mkuzi, Hamisi Tsama (4 March 2021). Assessment of Land Tenure, Land Use and Land Cover Changes in Taita Hills Forest Fragments: A Case Study of Ngerenyi Forest Fragments in Taita Taveta County, Kenya (Master of Environmental Science thesis). Pwani University. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
8. "BirdLife Data Zone". datazone.birdlife.org. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
9. "Tsavo National Park | Tsavo east national park | Tsavo west national park". Tsavo National Park. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
10. Pellikka, Petri; Ylhäisi, Jussi; Clark, Barnaby (2004). Taita Hills and Kenya, 2004 : seminars, reports and journal of a field expedition to Kenya. Helsinki: University of Helsinki, Department of Geography. ISBN 9521020776. OCLC 76844200.
11. Victims of animal attacks in Taita Taveta say compensation takes too long, NTV Kenya, 13 September 2018, archived from the original on 17 December 2021, retrieved 1 February 2019 – via YouTube
12. "Mount Kasigau - Taita Hills". Visit Nyali. 19 February 2022. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
13. "Aruba Dam in Tsavo National Park | Aruba Dam". Tsavo National Park. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
14. "Mudanda Rock in Tsavo National Park | Tsavo East National Park". Tsavo National Park. 12 January 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
15. "Yatta Plateau in Tsavo National park | Yatta Plateau | Kenya Safaris". Tsavo National Park. 7 January 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
16. "Lugard Falls in Tsavo National Park | Lugard Falls | Tsavo East Park". Tsavo National Park. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
17. "Shetani Lava flow | Tsavo National Park | Kenya Safaris Tours | Kenya". Wildlife Kenya Safari. 22 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
18. "Taita-Taveta County". Visit Nyali. Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
19. Kenya: Administrative Division population statistics
20. 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Volume I: Population by County and Sub-County
21. "2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Volume IV: Distribution of Population by Socio-Economic Characteristics" (PDF). Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
22. "County Administration | Sub-Counties". County Government of TaitaTaveta. Archived from the original on 26 November 2022. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
23. "Rong'e Ward". Mwatate sub county. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
24. "Bura Ward". Mwatate sub county. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2023.

External links

• Taita Taveta County Government Official Site
• Taita Taveta County Government Official Facebook page
• Taita Taveta County Government Official Twitter Page
• Taita Taveta County Assembly Official Site
• Kenya National Parks