Population
West Pokot County has a child rich population, where 0-14 year olds constitute 52% of the total population. This is due to high fertility rates among women as shown by the highest percentage household size of 4-6 members at 38%.
Employment
The 2009 population and housing census covered in brief the labour status as tabulated below. The main variable of interest for inequality discussed in the text is work for pay by level of education. The other variables, notably family business, family agricultural holdings, intern/volunteer, retired/homemaker, fulltime student, incapacitated and no work are tabulated and presented in the annex table 47.3 up to ward level.
Table 47: Overall Employment by Education levels in West Pokot County
Education Level |
Work for pay |
Family Business |
Family Agricultural Holding |
Intern/ Volunteer |
Retired/ Homemaker |
Fulltime Student |
Incapacitated |
No work |
Number of Individuals |
Total |
7.4 |
11.8 |
48.7 |
1.0 |
12.3 |
10.7 |
0.4 |
7.7 |
229,712 |
None |
3.4 |
11.3 |
59.3 |
1.1 |
15.4 |
0.1 |
0.6 |
8.9 |
117,175 |
Primary |
6.8 |
12.5 |
42.5 |
0.9 |
10.2 |
20.7 |
0.3 |
6.1 |
84,850 |
Secondary+ |
26.3 |
11.3 |
22.9 |
1.2 |
5.9 |
24.8 |
0.1 |
7.5 |
27,687 |
In West Pokot County, 3% of the residents with no formal education, 7% of those with a primary education and 26% of those with a secondary level of education or above are working for pay. Work for pay is highest in Nairobi at 49% this is almost twice the level in West Pokot for those with a secondary level of education or above.
Gini Coefficient
In this report, the Gini index measures the extent to which the distribution of consumption expenditure among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. A Gini index of '0' represents perfect equality, while an index of '1' implies perfect inequality. West Pokot County’s Gini index is 0.318 compared with Turkana County, which has the least inequality nationally (0.283).
Education
Only 6% of West Pokot County residents have a secondary level of education or above. Kapenguria constituency has the highest share of residents with a secondary level of education or above at 11%. This is 9 percentage points above Kacheliba constituency, which has the lowest share of residents with a secondary level of education or above. Kapenguria constituency is 5 percentage points above the county average. Kapenguria ward has the highest share of residents with a secondary level of education or above at 21%. This is 19 percentage points above Masool ward, which has the lowest share of residents with a secondary level of education or above. Kapenguria ward is 15 percentage points above the county average.
A total of 38% of West Pokot County residents have a primary level of education only. Pokot South constituency has the highest share of residents with a primary level of education only at 56%. This is four times Kacheliba constituency, which has the lowest share of residents with a primary level of education only. Pokot South constituency is 18 percentage points above the county average. Two wards, Lelan and Siyoi, have the highest share of residents with a primary level of education only at 60% each. This is almost nine times Alale ward, which has the lowest share of residents with a primary level of education only. Lelan and Siyoi wards are 22 percentage points above the county average.
A total of 55% of West Pokot County residents have no formal education. Kacheliba constituency has the highest share of residents with no formal education at 84%.This is 48 percentage points above Pokot South constituency, which has the lowest share of residents with no formal education. Kacheliba constituency is 29 percentage points above the county average. Alale ward has the highest percentage of residents with no formal education at 92%. This is three times Kapenguria ward, which has the lowest percentage of residents with no formal education. Alale ward is 37 percentage points above the county average.
Energy » Cooking Fuel
Less than 1% of residents in West Pokot County use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and 1% use paraffin. 91% use firewood and 7% use charcoal. Firewood is the most common cooking fuel by gender with 91% of male headed households and 93% in female headed households using it.
Two constituencies, Kacheliba and Sigor, have the highest level of firewood use in West Pokot County at 98% each. This is 16 percentage points above Kapenguria constituency, which has the lowest share at 82%. Kacheliba and Sigor constituencies are at 7 percentage points above the county average. Three wards, Kiwawa, Sook and Kodich, have the highest level of firewood use in West Pokot County at 99% each. This is 43 percentage points above Kapenguria ward, which has the lowest share at 56%. Kiwawa, Sook and Kodich are 8 percentage points above the county average.
Kapenguria constituency has the highest level of charcoal use at 16%.This is 14 percentage points above Kacheliba constituency, which has the lowest share. Kapenguria constituency is 9 percentage points above the county average. Kapenguria ward has the highest level of charcoal use in West Pokot County at 39%.This is 38 percentage points more than Kiwawa ward, which has the lowest share. Kapenguria ward is 32 percentage points above the county average.
Energy » Lighting
Only 3% of residents in West Pokot County use electricity as their main source of lighting. A further 24% use lanterns, and 25% use tin lamps. 47% use fuel wood. Electricity use is equal by gender with 3% of both male headed households and female headed households using it.
Kapenguria constituency has the highest level of electricity use at 8%.That is 8 percentage points above Kacheliba constituency, which has the lowest level of electricity use. Kapenguria constituency is 5 percentage points above the county average. Kapenguria ward has the highest level of electricity use at 22%.That is 22 percentage points above Sook, Kodich, Kapchok, Kiwawa, and Alale wards, which have no levels of electricity use. Kapenguria ward is 19 percentage points above the county average.
Housing » Flooring
In West Pokot County, 13% of residents have homes with cement floors, while 86% have earth floors. Less than 1% has tile and 1% have wood floors. Kapenguria constituency has the highest share of cement floors at 26%.That is 22 percentage points above Kacheliba constituency, which has the lowest share of cement floors. Kapenguria constituency is 13 percentage points above the county average. Kapenguria ward has the highest share of cement floors at 55%.That is 53 percentage points above Kapchok ward, which has the lowest share of cement floors. Kapenguria ward is 42 percentage points above the county average.
Housing » Roofing
In West Pokot County, none of the residents have homes with concrete roofs, while 27% have corrugated iron sheet roofs. Grass and makuti roofs constitute 68% of homes, and 4% have mud/dung roofs.
Kapenguria constituency has the highest share of corrugated iron sheet roofs at 46%.That is 40 percentage points above Kacheliba constituency has the lowest share of corrugated iron sheet roofs. Kapenguria constituency is 19 percentage points above the county average. Kapenguria ward has the highest share of corrugated iron sheet roofs at 74%.That is 71 percentage points above Kasei ward, which has the lowest share of corrugated iron sheet roofs Kapenguria ward is 47 percentage points above the county average.
Sigor constituency has the highest share of grass/makuti roofs at 87%.That is 36 percentage points above Kapenguria constituency has the lowest share of grass/makuti roofs. Sigor constituency is 19 percentage points above the county average. Masool ward has the highest share of grass/makuti roofs at 94%. This is four times Kapenguria ward, which has the lowest share. Masool ward is 26 percentage points above the county average.
Housing » Walls
In West Pokot County, 6% of homes have either brick or stone walls. 90% of homes have mud/wood or mud/cement walls. 3% have wood walls. Less than 1% has corrugated iron walls. 1% has grass/thatched walls. Less than 1% has tin or other walls.
Kapenguria constituency has the highest share of brick/stone walls at 13%.That is 12 percentage points above Kacheliba constituency, which has the lowest share of brick/stone walls. Kapenguria constituency is 7 percentage points above the county average. Kapenguria ward has the highest share of brick/stone walls at 32%.That is 32 percentage points above Kasei ward, which has the lowest share of brick/stone walls. Kapenguria ward is 26 percentage points above the county average.
Pokot South constituency has the highest share of mud with wood/cement walls at 96%.That is 12 percentage points above Kapenguria constituency, which has the lowest share of mud with wood/cement. Pokot South constituency is 6 percentage points above the county average. Tapach ward has the highest share of mud with wood/cement walls at 99%.That is 49 percentage points above Masool ward, which has the lowest share of mud with wood/cement walls. Tapach ward is 9 percentage points above the county average.
Water
Improved sources of water comprise protected spring, protected well, borehole, piped into dwelling, piped and rain water collection while unimproved sources include pond, dam, lake, stream/river, unprotected spring, unprotected well, jabia, water vendor and others.
In West Pokot County, 25% of residents use improved sources of water, with the rest relying on unimproved sources. There is no significant gender differential in use of improved sources as 25% of male headed households and 26% in female headed households use it.
Kacheliba constituency has the highest share of residents using improved sources of water at 33%.That is almost twice Sigor constituency, which has the lowest share using improved sources of water. Kacheliba constituency is 8 percentage points above the county average. Kodich ward has the highest share of residents using improved sources of water at 56%.That is 44 percentage points above Masool ward with the lowest share using improved sources of water. Kodich ward is 31 percentage points above the county average.
Sanitation
A total of 27% of residents in West Pokot County use improved sanitation, while the rest use unimproved sanitation. Use of improved sanitation is equal by either gender with both male and female headed households at 27%.
Pokot South constituency has the highest share of residents using improved sanitation at 48%.That is 16 times Kacheliba constituency, which has the lowest share using improved sanitation. Pokot South constituency is 21 percentage points above the county average. Siyoi ward has the highest share of residents using improved sanitation at 82%.That is 81 percentage points above Kiwawa ward, which has the lowest share using improved sanitation. Siyoi ward is 55 percentage points above the county average.