Lembus Kwen, Eldama Ravine Constituency: A Comprehensive Overview

Lembus Kwen is a significant ward within Eldama Ravine Constituency that reflects the diversity and development potential of Baringo County. This report examines the geographic characteristics, demographic profile, property market, and infrastructure developments in this evolving Kenyan locality.

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Geographic and Administrative Profile

Lembus Kwen is one of six wards that make up Eldama Ravine Constituency in Baringo County, Kenya. The ward covers an area of approximately 178.01 square kilometers, making it the third largest ward in the Eldama Ravine Sub-County. Administratively, Lembus Kwen falls under the Eldama Ravine sub-county governance structure. The ward is strategically positioned within the broader constituency which is located a few miles north of the equator at geographical coordinates 0° 30′ 0″ North, 35° 43′ 0″ East.

According to electoral data from September 2017, Lembus Kwen had 9,139 registered voters, representing a significant portion of the constituency’s total voter population of 54,742. The ward contributes to the constituency’s total area of approximately 953.82 square kilometers, with the entire constituency having a population of approximately 105,273 people. Eldama Ravine Constituency, including Lembus Kwen, borders Mogotio constituency to the East, Baringo Central to the North, and Molo Constituency to the South.

Cultural Heritage and Demographics

Lembus Kwen has strong historical connections to the Lembus people, who form a subtribe of the larger Kalenjin ethnic group. The Lembus community is further subdivided into various clans including Pokor, Keben, Bogor, Kakimor, Kamaruso, Somek, Murkaptuk, Agiekablembus, Chepkero, Kapkosom, and Emom.

Interestingly, while the Lembus people are often perceived to be part of the Tugen community, this characterization has been rejected by the Lembus themselves and their Council of Elders based on distinctions in migration history, cultural practices, and language. In 2019, the Lembus community took legal action seeking recognition as a distinct ethnic group rather than a sub-tribe of the Tugen. The Lembus people also share close cultural, linguistic, and religious similarities with the Nandi people, with historical connections dating back to pre-colonial times.

Real Estate and Land Market

Apartments and Houses for Sale in Lembus Kwen, Baringo-Property Availability and Pricing

The real estate market in Lembus Kwen appears to be in early stages of development, with limited formal property listings. Searches for real estate agents specifically operating in Lembus Kwen yielded no results, suggesting a market that may rely more on informal networks and local transactions rather than established real estate agencies.

Similarly, searches for specific property types such as 72-bedroom semi-detached duplexes and 20-bedroom apartments in Lembus Kwen returned no results, indicating either limited demand for such properties or an underdeveloped formal real estate sector in the area.

Land in Lembus Kwen, Baringo-Land Prices in the Broader Region

While specific land prices for Lembus Kwen are not directly available in the search results, examining property prices in the broader Baringo County provides useful context:

In Baringo generally, plots of 50 by 100 feet are listed for approximately KSh 800,000 to KSh 1,900,000.
In the Marigat area of Baringo County, mixed-use land is being sold for KSh 250,000 per acre, which could serve as a reference point for land in developing areas of the county.
In nearby Mogotio, which borders Eldama Ravine Constituency, 1/4 acre plots with clean title deeds are selling for KSh 650,000. These plots feature accessible murram surfaced roads, electricity available for connection, and borehole water, representing a potential benchmark for similarly developed areas in Lembus Kwen.

The limited property listings specific to Lembus Kwen may suggest an opportunity for early investors as the area continues to develop, particularly given its proximity to Eldama Ravine town and its position within the growing Baringo County.

Infrastructure Development

Water Resources Development

Significant water infrastructure development has occurred in Lembus Kwen and surrounding areas. According to borehole data from 2023, the ward has several operational and developing water projects:

Poror borehole in Lembus Kwen, privately owned and operational with grid power, reaches a depth of 150 meters.
Kewangoi borehole in Lembus Kwen, developed by the Government of Kenya, reaches a depth of 150 meters but was reported as dry.
Sigoro Secondary School borehole in Lembus Kwen, developed by Regwa, operates with diesel power and reaches a depth of 192 meters, though it was reported as non-operational.

These water infrastructure developments are part of broader efforts to improve water access in the Eldama Ravine Sub-County, where multiple boreholes have been drilled by various agencies including the County Government of Baringo (CGB), the Government of Kenya (GoK), and Regional Water authorities.

Road Infrastructure

While the search results don’t provide specific road projects within Lembus Kwen, the broader Eldama Ravine area has seen significant road infrastructure development. The Department of Infrastructure in Baringo County has completed “a total of at least 2,800 km of road projects in the county, installed street lights in major centres and initiated twenty six footbridges with twenty of them complete”.

Specific road projects in neighboring wards include the Kaptana-Cheptilatil-Kibias Road in Lembus Perkerra, which has been completed, and the Kamelilo – Sogonin Road in Ravine, which was pending commencement as of the report date. Additionally, there’s the Kapsimotwo – Kabiyet – Sinende Road in Eldama Ravine, allocated KSh 5,000,000, which was to be handed over for development.

Sewerage Project

A major infrastructure development impacting the broader Eldama Ravine area, including Lembus Kwen, is the proposed Eldama Ravine Sewerage Project. This project includes construction of primary and secondary sewer networks within Eldama Ravine town and construction of Waste Water Treatment works, with an estimated cost of KSh 1,341,756,632.26.

The sewerage project includes:

Inlet Works and Exhauster Discharge Bay.
2 Anaerobic Ponds.
2 Facultative Ponds.
8 Maturation Ponds.
10 Sludge Drying Beds.
Staff Houses.
Waste water Laboratory.

This project aims to trigger “development of modern infrastructure within Eldama Ravine town due to availability of sewer infrastructure” and reduce distances for related services.

Environmental and Climate Considerations

Lembus Kwen, like other parts of Baringo County, faces significant climate change challenges. These include extreme events such as high/low temperatures, droughts, hail storms, and floods. Climate projections indicate temperatures in Kenya will continue rising by approximately 1.7°C by the 2050s and by approximately 3.5°C by the end of the century.

The area falls within broader livelihood zones that are “increasingly facing challenges due to climate change effects through its interaction with the identified hazards”. These environmental challenges have implications for agricultural productivity, water resource management, and overall development planning in Lembus Kwen.

Conclusion

Lembus Kwen represents an evolving ward within Baringo County with distinct geographic, cultural, and developmental characteristics. While the formal real estate market appears to be in nascent stages, recent infrastructure developments including water resources, road networks, and the major sewerage project indicate growing investment in the area’s development.

For potential investors or residents, Lembus Kwen offers opportunities as part of the broader Eldama Ravine Constituency development, with land prices that may be considered moderate compared to more developed regions of Kenya. The ward’s rich cultural heritage, tied to the Lembus people’s identity, adds a unique dimension to its development narrative.

As environmental challenges continue to impact the region, sustainable development approaches that address water security, agricultural resilience, and infrastructure durability will be crucial for Lembus Kwen’s long-term prosperity.

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