Keiyo District
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Keiyo District (also known as Elgeyo district or Elgeiyo) is a defunct administrative district in the former Rift Valley Province of Kenya. The district was formed in 1994, when the Elgeyo-Marakwet District was split into two — the other half was Marakwet District. According to the 2009 Kenya Population and Housing Census, Keiyo District had a population of 182,875 . Its capital was located in the Iten/Tambach town. In 2010, the districts were re-joined as Elgeyo-Marakwet County.
Local people are mostly of the Keiyo tribe. Many famous Kenyan runners come from the district, including Saif Saaeed Shaheen (born Stephen Cherono), Vivian Cheruiyot and Lornah Kiplagat. The world record marathon holder, Kelvin Kiptum, was also from the region. The area is used by local and foreign athletes for high-altitude training.
Mining of fluorite by the Kenya Fluorspar Company is the largest industry in the former district.[1][2]
Keiyo District has two local authorities:
- Iten/Tambach town (population: 31,813; urban population: 3,968)
- Keiyo county council (population: 112,052; urban population: 1,868)
Administrative divisions
| Division | Population* | Urban pop.* | Headquarters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chepkorio | 67,062 | 811 | Chepkorio (Mosop) |
| Kamariny | 37,773 | 3831 | Iten |
| Soy | 20,354 | 926 | |
| Tambach | 18,676 | 0 | Tambach |
| * 1999 census. Sources: , , | |||
Constituencies
The district had two constituencies:
