8 South Rift Town Names with Fascinating Roots 

Kenya’s South Rift region has no shortage of towns whose names have fascinating origins. Bomet County’s capital of Bomet has a name that is an ode to the rich history of pastoralism in the area. Bomet is a Kipsigis word said to be borrowed from the Swahili word “boma” which means home.  In Kipsigis, Bomet translated to a traditional fenced enclosure where cattle stay through the night. In pre-colonial times, rustled cattle were given away a short distance from the town. But before being shared out, they were kept in pens. That being the case, the name Bomet directly connects to livestock activities in the area. 

Though its capital’s name harkens back to pre-colonial times, Bomet County has multiple towns with roots in the colonial era. For example, though Sotik is an urban centre known as a prominent milk producer, its name actually developed from the phrase “so thick”. Sotik is said to have been founded by British farmers and Indian traders in the early 1900s. Upon attempting to traverse the area’s closely packed forest, the British would often remark that it was “so thick”. When locals picked up the remark, it slowly became Sotik.  

About 50 km away from this bustling town is Longisa, another Bomet urban centre. The origin of this name is the corruption of yet another English phrase. In this case, the phrase is “long distance”. Yet another town whose name denotes distance is Tenwek. The town Tenwek where the magnificent Tenwek Falls are located comes from “ten weeks”. This was how long it took the British to travel from Mombasa to Tenwek on foot.  

Kericho Green Fields. Image Credit – Cheruto

Just north of Tenwek is the famed Kericho. The origin of the town’s unique name has several theories. One such theory is that the town has the Maasai chief ole Kericho to thank for its name. Killed by the Abagusii community in the 18th century, this notable figure is said to be the inspiration for the town’s moniker. Still, other theories suggest that the area was home to the first hospital in the region. In Kispsigis, medicine is known as “kerichek” – a name quite similar to Kericho and one that pays homage to the health institution. Along the lines of treatment, it is also said that a medicine man called KipKerich resided in the area and Kericho developed from his name. 

While the origin of Kericho’s name is unconfirmed, one of the county’s busiest towns has an interesting Kipsigis meaning. Kapkatet is derived from the word “katet” which translates to a thorn primarily used to sew clothes by the community. This makeshift needle was used before the widespread use of modern needles. 

Modern invention is also a theme when a closer look is taken at the meaning of the town Fort Ternan. This Kericho town was named after Maj Ternan who was the engineer presiding over the introduction of the steel bridge and steam locomotive. At the time, these marvels of engineering were monumental, and when Maj Ternan lost his life in the Nandi Resistance, Fort Ternan was named after him.  

While some names in the South Rift region take after manmade tools, others take after natural features found in their environs. Narok County’s capital of Narok is named after Enkare Narok, the river that winds its way through Narok Town. It is a Maasai word that means black or dark water in reference to the water body. 

Do you call the South Rift region home? Are you familiar with the meanings of any other town names in the area? Let us know in the comments below! 

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