Eldoret

Eldoret is a town in western Kenya, about 360 kilometers south of Lodwar and approximately 230,000 inhabitants (estimated in 2007; booth at the 1999 census: 193 830 ) is the fourth largest city in Kenya. Eldoret is located in the Kenyan Rift Valley and is the capital of Uasin Gishu District.

History

The city's name comes from the Maasai word " Eldoret " what about " stony river " means. The name is because the riverbed of Sosiani is very rocky near Eldoret.

Originally, the area of ​​the city was settled by the Sirikwa, later by the Maasai and the beginning of the colonial period of the Nandi.

The place itself was written in 1910 with the opening of a post office on a farm, the settlement was called at the white settlers just farm only 64 or 64 Willy van Aardt bought the property and named the place officially in 1912 in Eldoret to.

Many of the original settlers in the town were Afrikaans -speaking South Africans, who had come in 1908 from South Africa to Kenya. Gradually, many European and Asian settlers arrived in the city.

With the connection to the railway network between Mombasa and Uganda in 1924 began a great economic boom of the city. 1928 running water was installed throughout the city and in 1933 an electric generator. After independence, Kenya was in the 1960s, the first president of the country Jomo Kenyatta many landless Kikuyu settle from Central Kenya in the Rift Valley.

Today Eldoret is the fastest growing city in Kenya and the birthplace of many Kenyan running stars such as Kipchoge Keino. Julius Sang and Lucas Sang, both 400 - meter runner, died in 2004 and 2008 in Eldoret. Ex - President Daniel arap Moi has greatly expanded the city and can build an international airport, for example.

Since the presidential elections in Kenya in late December 2007, the name of the city is also linked to a massacre: At least 30 people burned on New Year's, as supporters of the defeated opposition candidate Raila Odinga inflamed a free church in Eldoret. Most sought by the building protection from marauding militias, because they belonged to the Kikuyu ethnic group like the re-elected President Mwai Kibaki. Eldoret is considered as the entire western Kenya as a stronghold of Raila Odinga. This speaks of electoral fraud and is in line with international election observers.

Air table

Sons and daughters of the town

• Sherm Bill Brucker, ( b. 1938 ) Canadian writer and university teacher of Kenyan origin
• Mike Boit (* 1949), middle-distance runner and high school teachers
• Philip Boit (born 1971 ), cross-country skiers
• Brian Ombiji ( b. 1982 ), football player