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Kisii and Migration

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Land pressure, limited local economic opportunities, and the search for better livelihoods have driven substantial Gusii migration. From the colonial period through contemporary times, significant Gusii populations have migrated to Nairobi, the Rift Valley, Uganda, Tanzania, and other destinations. This diaspora has reshaped Gusii society, created transnational networks, and positioned the Gusii as a dispersed yet internally connected population.

Historical Migration Patterns (Colonial Period)

Even during the colonial period, some Gusii migrated for labor opportunities. However, large-scale migration accelerated in the postcolonial period as rural opportunities declined and urban growth created jobs.

Nairobi Migration (1960s-Present)

Nairobi has been the primary destination for Gusii migrants, attracting both permanent and temporary migrants:

Scale of Gusii population in Nairobi: Estimates suggest 200,000-400,000 Gusii live in Nairobi, making the Gusii one of the significant ethnic populations in the capital. The Gusii population is concentrated in particular areas (including parts of Nyairobi, Kawangware, Dagoretti, and other neighborhoods) but is distributed across the city.

Occupations and economic roles: Gusii in Nairobi work across economic sectors:

  1. Government and civil service - many work in government agencies, education, and health services
  2. NGO sector - substantial Gusii employment in international and local NGOs
  3. Private sector - business, retail, services
  4. Informal sector - informal businesses, street vending, casual labor
  5. Domestic service - particularly for earlier migrants, domestic work was common

Social organization: The Nairobi Gusii community maintains ethnic networks and organizations:

  1. Ethnic associations - Gusii community organizations that organize social events and provide mutual support
  2. Religious institutions - Gusii-dominated churches (particularly Seventh-day Adventist, but also other denominations)
  3. Business networks - informal networks of Gusii business people and traders
  4. Educational networks - associations of Gusii alumni from particular schools

Return and investment: Many Gusii in Nairobi maintain strong connections to Kisii, visiting regularly, sending remittances, and investing in property and business back home. Some return permanently upon retirement.

Rift Valley Migration (1980s-2008)

Gusii purchased and settled on land in the Rift Valley (particularly Nakuru, Bomet, and Kericho districts) during the 1990s and early 2000s:

Scale and areas: Several thousand Gusii established agricultural settlements in the Rift Valley, attracted by relatively affordable land and agricultural opportunities. These settlements were concentrated in specific areas around Nakuru and in parts of Bomet and Kericho.

Economic activities: Rift Valley Gusii engaged primarily in agriculture (tea, dairy, horticultural crops) and some trading. The Rift Valley offered more land per household than the Kisii Highlands, allowing larger-scale farming.

2007-2008 displacement: As described in the article on 2007-2008 violence, post-election violence displaced many Gusii from the Rift Valley. Thousands fled, many returning to Kisii or relocating to Nairobi or other urban centers. The Gusii presence in the Rift Valley declined substantially after 2008.

Uganda and Tanzania Migration

A smaller but significant Gusii diaspora exists in Uganda and Tanzania:

Uganda: Gusii have migrated to Uganda, particularly to Kampala and surrounding areas, for trade, business, and employment. The Gusii presence in Uganda, while smaller than in Kenya, is notable in certain business sectors.

Tanzania: Cross-border migration to Tanzania occurs, though less intensely than to Nairobi. Some Gusii engage in cross-border trade or have settled in Tanzanian border regions.

Diaspora Characteristics and Remittances

The Gusii diaspora exhibits several characteristics:

Ethnic identity maintenance: Diaspora Gusii maintain ethnic identity and connections despite living away from the homeland. Language, cultural practices, and social networks remain important even for those who have lived away for decades.

Transnational connections: Many maintain regular communication with family in Kisii, visit periodically, and invest in property and business back home. Phone calls and, increasingly, video communication allow close contact despite distance.

Remittance flows: Diaspora Gusii send remittances to family in Kisii, supporting extended family members, funding education, and funding home building and property improvement. Remittances are a significant source of income for rural Gusii households.

Business investment: Some diaspora Gusii establish businesses in Kisii (hotels, shops, transport, agricultural businesses), contributing to local economic development.

Property investment: Diaspora invest substantially in land and property in Kisii, driven by desires to secure assets, support family, and potentially return in retirement.

Gender Dimensions of Migration

Migration has differentiated gender patterns:

Male migration: Men have historically migrated at higher rates than women, particularly for long-distance migration to Nairobi or the Rift Valley. Economic opportunity and freedom from domestic obligations has driven male migration.

Female migration: Women have also migrated, though often following male migration or in search of domestic work or business opportunities. Female migrants sometimes face greater social vulnerability but also may experience economic and social freedom from rural patriarchal structures.

Female-headed households: In some Kisii communities, a substantial proportion of households are female-headed, with the male having migrated permanently and not maintained family connections or support.

Women remittance senders: Some women in diaspora send remittances supporting family in Kisii, sometimes as primary earners.

Rural-Urban Livelihood Diversification

Migration is part of broader rural-urban livelihood diversification, where rural households maintain connections to both agricultural production in Kisii and urban employment and business:

Household strategies: Some households maintain members in both rural and urban locations, with money flowing from urban workers to rural family farmers, and food flowing from rural farms to urban family members.

Circular migration: Some individuals practice circular migration, alternating between urban and rural locations seasonally or periodically, engaging in both wage labor and farming.

Diaspora Contribution to Kisii Development

The Gusii diaspora contributes to Kisii development through:

  1. Financial support - remittances, business investment, property investment
  2. Human capital - return migration of educated and skilled individuals bringing expertise
  3. Social capital - diaspora networks creating business and professional opportunities
  4. Technology and innovation - diaspora exposure to technologies and practices adopted in Kisii
  5. Cultural maintenance - diaspora maintaining and promoting Gusii cultural identity and language

Brain Drain Concerns

The migration of educated Gusii to Nairobi and internationally has raised concerns about brain drain:

Loss of talent: High-achieving Gusii youth who migrate to urban centers or internationally are lost to local development in Kisii. Their skills and education benefit urban or international destinations rather than the Kisii homeland.

Unequal development: Brain drain contributes to unequal development between urban and rural areas, as talent concentrates in cities.

Return potential: However, some diaspora eventually return, bringing skills, capital, and networks that contribute to local development. The return migration pattern remains significant.

Contemporary migration patterns reflect ongoing pressures:

  1. Youth migration - continuing outmigration of youth seeking educational and employment opportunities
  2. Internal urbanization - increasing urbanization within Kisii County (Kisii town growth) as an alternative to long-distance migration
  3. International migration - increasing migration to Europe, North America, and Gulf states for education and work
  4. Remittance dependence - increasing reliance of rural Kisii households on remittances from urban and international diaspora

See Also

Sources

  1. Nyambura, Samuel. "The Gusii Diaspora: Migration, Identity, and Development." Nairobi: Institute for Development Studies, 2010.

  2. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1799911

  3. Klinthäuser, Kirsten. "Rural Livelihood Diversification and Migration in Kenya." Berlin: Humboldt University Press, 2008.

  4. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-eastern-african-studies

  5. Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. "Labour Force Survey: Migration and Employment." Nairobi, 2019.

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