West Pokot County

Introduction

West Pokot had a total population of 691,000 people in 2024. According to the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census, West Pokot had a total population of 621,241 people, comprising 116,182 households and an average household size of 5.3 people per household.

West Pokot County has a total land area of 9,123.2 square kilometers and had a population density of 68 people per square kilometer in 2019.

West Pokot is bordered to the North by Turkana, the East by Baringo, the South East by Elgeyo Marakwet, the South by Trans Nzoia, and the West by Uganda.

West Pokot has five sub-counties: Kipkomo, Pokot Central, Pokot North, Pokot South, and West Pokot.

West Pokot County Economy

West Pokot had an average Gross County Product at Current Prices of Ksh 85 billion, representing an average contribution to Gross Value Added 0.7% between 2018 and 2022.

West Pokot County's average contribution to agriculture, forestry, and fishing activities was 1.2%, while its contribution to manufacturing activities was 0.1%. The county's average contribution to service activities was 0.6%.

West Pokot had a Gross County Product per capita of Ksh 128,520 in 2022.

Poverty Rates

The overall headcount poverty rate in West Pokot County was 61.4%, with 396,000 people estimated to live in poverty in 2021. Kenya's overall poverty rate in 2021 was 38.6%.

West Pokot had a hardcore poverty rate of 19.1%, with a total of 123,000 people estimated to live in extreme poverty in 2021. Kenya’s hardcore poverty rate in the same year was 5.8%.

West Pokot had a food poverty rate of 46.8%, with a total of 302,000 people estimated to live in food poverty. The national food poverty rate in 2021 was 30.5%.

The map below shows the distribution of poverty by Constituency in West Pokot County in 2019: Kachelba 67.7%, Kapenguria 53%, Pokot South 36.9%, and Sigor 41.7%

The mean monthly food and non-food expenditure in West Pokot County was Ksh 2,520 and Ksh 1,319, respectively. The share of expenditure on food in the county was 68.1% in 2021, while the share of non-food expenditure was 31.9%. 

The major sources of household food consumption in West Pokot were purchase or stock 69%, own production 26.2%, and Gifts 4.7%.

The mean and median per adult equivalent expenditure in West Pokot were Ksh 3,839 and Ksh 3,568, respectively, in 2021.

West Pokot County Demographics

West Pokot's total population was 621,241 in 2019, comprising 307,013 males, 314,213 females, and 15 intersex. West Pokot had a median age of 13 years in 2019.

The table below shows the population distribution in West Pokot by sub-county and sex.

Marital Status

The percent distribution of women aged 12 and above in West Pokot who were never married in 2019 was 36.9%, while those who were married monogamously was 46%. On the other hand, the share of women in polygamous marriages in West Pokot was 12.8%, while those who were widowed were 3%. The distribution of the divorced and separated in West Pokot was 0.4% and 0.8%, respectively.

Among men aged 12 and above in West Pokot, the distribution of the never-married was 50.2%. In comparison, those in monogamous marriages were 39.6%. On the other hand, the distribution of men in polygamous unions in the county was 8.7%, while the widowed were 0.5%. The distribution of divorced and separated men in West Pokot was 0.3% and 0.5%, respectively, in 2019.

According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022, the median age at first marriage among women aged 20-49 in West Pokot was 19.7 years, while the median age at first marriage of women aged 25-49 was 19.6 years. On the other hand, the median age at first marriage among men aged 25-54 in 2022 was 24.1 years, while the median age at first marriage among men aged 30-54 years was 23.9 years.

Polygyny

The percent distribution of married women aged 15-49 with one or more co-wives in West Pokot was 30.7% in 2022. Those with one co-wife were 20.2%, while those with more than two co-wives were 10.6%.

Among married men aged 15-49 in West Pokot, those with more than two wives in 2022 were 15%, while those with only one wife were 85%.

Marriage Registration

The percentage of women aged 15-49 whose current marriage was registered with the civil authorities in 2022 was 9.4%, while those whose marriage was registered with authorities and had a marriage certificate was 7.9%.

Teenage Marriages

The proportion of married males aged 12-15 in West Pokot County was 7.4%, while the proportion of married females of the same age group was 7.8%. Among females aged 12-18, the proportion that was married was 11.5% in 2019.

The rate of teenage pregnancies in West Pokot, consisting of women aged 15-19 who have ever been pregnant, was 36.3% in 2022.

Total Fertility Rate

West Pokot had a Total Fertility Rate of 5.6 births per woman in 2019, a decrease of 16% from 6.7 births per woman in 2009. Overall, Kenya had a Total Fertility Rate of 3.4 births per woman in 2019, a decline of 28.6% from 4.8 births per woman in 2009.

The Total Youth Fertility Rate in West Pokot was 1.5 births per woman, higher than the national youth fertility rate of 1 birth per woman in 2019.

West Pokot had a Crude Birth Rate of 36.5 births per 1,000 in 2019, a drop of 17% from 44 births per 1,000 population in 2009. Overall, Kenya had a Crude Birth Rate of 27.9 births per 1,000 population in 2019, a decline of 27.2% from 38.4 births per 1,000 population in 2009.

Place of Birth and Notification Status

The share of recent births in West Pokot that occurred in a health facility in 2019 was 51.9%, while those that did not occur in health facilities were 47.7%. In Kenya, the share of births occurring in health facilities in the same period was 85.8%. In comparison, those not occurring in health facilities were 14%.

The share of recent births in West Pokot that were notified in 2019 was 69.2%, while those that were not notified were 30.2%. Overall, the share of recent births in Kenya that were notified in 2019 was 90.4%, while those not notified were 9.3%. 

Place of Death and Notification Status

In 2019, 40.6% of deaths in West Pokot County occurred in a health facility, while 57% occurred in the community. In Kenya, 59% of deaths in 2019 occurred in a health facility, while 40% did not occur in a health facility.

The share of deaths in West Pokot County that were notified in 2019 was 47.6%. Overall, the share of deaths that were notified in Kenya in 2019 was 85.6%.

West Pokot County had a Crude Death Rate (CDR) of 12 deaths per 1,000 population in 2019. Overall, Kenya had a Crude Death Rate of 10.5%.

Religious Affiliation

Most residents of West Pokot County are Protestants 232,950, followed by Catholics 192,787, and members of Evangelical Churches 81,184.

Development

1. The Rural Access Index (RAI) in West Pokot County was 43%, with less than half of the population living within two kilometers of an all-weather road in 2019.
2. Household access to electricity in West Pokot County was 11.9% in 2019, up from 2.6% in 2009.
3. Household access to improved sanitation in West Pokot County was 48.5% in 2019, up from 26.8% in 2009.
4. Household access to safe drinking water in West Pokot County was 31.2% in 2019, up from 24% in 2009.
5. West Pokot had 35.3% of its public primary schools connected to electricity, ranking 39^th nationally in 2019.

The share of the population in West Pokot County owning mobile phones in 2019 was 21.1%. Among women, 52.8% owned any type of mobile phone in West Pokot County in 2022, while 15.5% owned a smartphone.

Among men, 77.5% in West Pokot owned any kind of mobile phone in 2022, while 26.1% owned a smartphone. The percentage of men and women who had used a mobile phone for financial transactions in the year preceding the 2022 KDHS survey was 82.4% and 42%, respectively^.

See Also

1. Turkana County
2. Samburu County
3. Baringo County
4. Marsabit County  

References

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