Homa Bay Town
Homa Bay Town Kenya is located along the north – eastern part of Lake Victoria. It borders the Homa Bay, from which the town derived it name.
In the northwest, the town boundary is formed inside the Lake, in the east by Kochia / Kanyada boundary, in the west by Kanyada Kanyamwa location boundaries, and in the south by the line between Kabunde airstrip and Oturbam passing through Ogande Girls secondary school.
Homa Bay Town is located 105 kilometers South of Kisumu City and 405 kilometers southwest of Nairobi the capital city of Kenya.
Homa Bay Town Geography
The town lies at an altitude of approximately 4000 feet at 1330 meters above sea level. It covers an area of 197 square kilometers of which half is inside Lake Victoria leaving the remaining area for active development.
Homa Bay Town Climate
Homa Bay town’s climatic condition is semi- arid and it has two rainy seasons. Long rains which falls between the months of March and May while short rains fall between September and November with approximately measurements of 1180 millimeters. Its daily temperature falls between 26-28 oC.
Transport network in Homa Bay Town
Homa Bay town is accessible by road through Kisumu to Nairobi and Kisumu to Kampala through Jinja, on the northeastern part of the Town. On the southeastern it is accessible by road through Kisii to Nairobi and through Migori Sirare and Mwanza. It is also accessible by Lake through Mbita Point, Musoma, Bukoba and Jinja. Homa Bay town also has an air strip located 5 kilometers away from the Town centre which is used occasionally by light planes. Railway connection from this town is Kisumu by steamer or road.
Administrative Structure in Homa Bay Town
Composition of the Council.Homa Bay Municipal council is divided into 6 wards each ward represented by a councillor totaling to six councillors. The Minister nominates 2 councillors and a Public Officer representing parties and the government. Homa Bay Municipal Council is composed of gender sensitive representations out of 9 councillors 2 of them are women. The municipal wards are:
- Market ward
- Posta/Bonde ward
- Katuma ward
- Kanyabala ward
- Kanyadier/Kothidha ward
- Kanyango/Kalanya ward
The civic wing is headed by a non – executive mayor assisted by the deputy Mayor.
Council Committees. Civic body is divided into 4 committees headed by a committee chairman. The committees are:
1. Finance staff and general purposes committee in charge of staff and financial matters
2. Works town planning and markets committee which deals with planning developments and plot allocation matters.
3. Public Health & environment deals with Health and environment matters.
4. Education & social services deals with education activities i.e. Nursery schools Welfare of staffs and town residents and sports.
Socio-Economic Profile The major activities taking place within the municipality are:
1. Employment of skilled and unskilled workers. 2. Trading and wholesale, retail, hawking, micro enterprise, touting, non – motorized transport business, motor boat, taxi buses, minibuses transport. 3. Fishing and fish mongering. 4. Industrial business, fish processing and by products factory, maize, sorghum, ground nuts, millet and potatoes.
Education Homa Bay Municipal council has both public and private primary and secondary schools.
- youth polytechnics
- farmers training centre
- medical training centre
Health Homa Bay has one public hospital which is the county hospital, private hospitals and dispensaries all which takes care of all kinds of sicknesses both in patients and out patients. There are several VCT centre both public and private to take care of HIV (AIDS) pandemics
Land Development The land uses which are taken into account for the following suitability classification are housing, crop cultivation and forestry.
Housing The land use type housing is considered as Homa Bay town is rapidly growing and degradation of the living environment is encountered. Most likely they are the result from building on for this use unsuitable land. Town planning could not keep up with the rapid growth.
Crop CultivationThe land use type crop cultivation is considered as Homa Bay is not self sufficient in food production however there is still a lot of land that is not yet under urban use and will not be in the near future. This land that is of important value and good suitability for crop production is sufficiently being used for agriculture crop production which serves the town and also sold outside the Municipal area.
Forestry A lot of trees are grown within the urban and peri-urban areas for conservation of environment. However, shortage of wood fuel is being experienced in town, therefore forcing people to import from outside though import of wood is very expensive and causes land degradation in the area of origin. mus village of Rugus is on the East.
Health Facilities in Homa Bay Town
Homa Clinic
MFL Code: 13605
Facility Type: Medical Clinic
Owner: Private Enterprise (Institution)
St Paul’s Health Centre
MFL Code: 14124
Facility Type: Health Centre
Owner: Kenya Episcopal Conference-Catholic Secretariat
Hope Compassionate (ACK) Dispensary
MFL Code: 16983
Facility Type: Dispensary
Owner: Christian Health Association of Kenya
Homa Bay Community Medical Clinic
MFL Code: 17926
Facility Type: Medical Clinic
Owner: Private Practice – Clinical Officer
Dr Eshtera Clinic
MFL Code: 18003
Facility Type: Medical Clinic
Owner: Private Practice – General Practitioner
Upendo VCT Centre
MFL Code: 18062
Facility Type: VCT Centre (Stand-Alone)
Owner: Non-Governmental Organizations
Homa Bay Central Widows VCT
MFL Code: 18063
Facility Type: VCT Centre (Stand-Alone)
Owner: Private Practice – Nurse / Midwife
Education Institutions in Homa Bay Town
University School in Homa Bay Town
- Maseno University
Hotels and accommodation in Homa Bay Town
- Hotel Staridge LTD
- ACK Guest House Homa Bay
- Ruma Tourist Lodge
- Rusinga Blue Ridge Hotel
- Rusinga Island Lodge
- Hotel Twin Towers
- Jabali Country Lodge
- Goono Konyuka Beach Resort
- Ruma River Lodge
- Bimoss Hotel
- Hotel Tausi
- Oyugis Hill Breeze Hotel
More About Kenya
Kenya is a world unto itself. Kenya is Africa’s original safari destination, attracting explorers, adventurers, and travelers for centuries. A safari to Kenya is a trip of a lifetime.
Other Towns in Kenya
Apart from Nairobi , Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Homa Bay town, Kenya has other major towns each a unique representation of the country’s striking abundance in flora and fauna. Most of these towns are headquarters in their respective counties or major economic bases in their regions. Luxury hotels and lodges located here provide good accommodation and conferencing facilities for guests who dare to try out a taste different from the capital or the coast.
For more information visit: Towns in Kenya
Hotels and Accommodation in Kenya
Hotels in Kenya vary enormously in price and facilities. Luxury hotels in Kenya offer excellent standards of service and are comparable to the best hotels anywhere in the world. Kenya’s abundance of natural produce, combined with the rich variety of cultures and traditions, has created a great culinary nation.
The fertile volcanic soil of the Rift Valley produces a bounty of fresh vegetables, while the coast is a great source of tropical fruit and fresh seafood. The Kenyan coast is also the home of the world-renowned Swahili cuisine, a blend of Middle Eastern and African cooking with a particular coastal twist.
For more information visit: Hotels in Kenya
Tourist Attractions in Kenya:
Kenya has one of the world’s greatest tourist attractions sites, known for its diversity of landscape, wildlife, and cultures. From sweeping savannahs to tropical beaches and coral reef, dense equatorial forests to mighty snow-capped mountains, and more.
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Kenya Safari
Kenya is the ultimate safari destination, providing travelers with a window into the heart of Africa. But this is not all that Kenya has to offer. Located near the equator, Kenya´s magic lies in the fact that the country encompasses an astounding variety of landscapes and climates, flora and fauna, as well as communities and cultures, home to water sports, a swim with dolphins and adventure.
For more information visit: Kenya Safari
The Kenyan People Culture and Tradition
Kenya’s culture blends together diverse tribes, traditions, and religions into one beautiful, well-woven tapestry. These traditions complement each other while incorporating the modern influences of globalization – resulting in a vibrant cultural spirit that is uniquely Kenyan. Kenya has over 42 different tribes with different languages and several dialects. Kenyan tourism has made the Maasai and Samburu tribes the most famous because of their long preserved culture.
For more information visit: Kenya People and Tribes