Figure 2-7 – Gross County Product per capita, 2017 (in KES

Figure 2-7 – Gross County Product per capita, 2017 (in KES)

Source: KNBS, Gross County Product Report (2019) Bungoma is strategically located along the northern corridor, the trade route links Mombasa and Kenya to a large number of economies including Burundi, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda. This directly connects Bungoma to the Malaba border point to Uganda and indirectly connects Bungoma to the Busia border point. The Kenya-Uganda Railway also passes through Bungoma, the train stops in Bungoma twice a week, however, it doesn’t pick up or drop large amounts in Bungoma. The success of Bungoma as a marketplace is strongly correlated to its access to these integral border points and trade routes which allow people and goods to move between Uganda and the County of Bungoma, the logistics and hospitality are also dependent on this dynamic.

Bungoma’s economy is diverse and benefits from a range of economic activities. The key sectors of the economic bloc include agriculture livestock and agri-processing, markets trade and services.

Crop farming is the main economic activity in the County. There are significantly higher shares of GCP in agriculture (58%) than the LREB (51%) and Kenya (37%) shares. Approximately 70% of the population depend directly or indirectly on farming for their livelihoods15. However, increased rates of urbanisation and encroachment of agricultural land threaten the natural resources present across Bungoma County. There is significant existing industrial activity and value-addition in Bungoma, as well as a strong logistics sector, however, each of these only represent 1% of the economic output of the County. Trade is another important economic activity in Bungoma County, the subsector employs approximately 346,430 people, with 287,110 being either Jua Kali traders or wholesale and retail traders16 .

15 Bungoma Municipality, LUDP, (2016). 16 Bungoma County, CSP, (2018).