Matisi Ward

Kitale, Kenya

Kitale is a town in the northwest of Kenya, in the Rift Valley. It is a rural area, unlike the city slums of Nairobi. Luhya is the majority tribe represented in the province. Kitale is located in Trans-Nzoia County which is composed of twenty-five (25) county wards.

Matisi, meaning “swampy area,” is a fast growing ward located in the outskirts of Kitale town along Kitale-Suam road. Matisi Ward has four sub-locations, one of which is Kipsongo.

The History of Kipsongo

The story of Kipsongo begins with the Turkana and Pokot – both resilient, nomadic tribes who have lived in Northwestern Kenya for generations. Historically, these communities moved with their livestock, often competing for scarce resources in a region marked by drought and conflict. About forty years ago, an unprecedented season of famine and severe drought made life nearly impossible in their homeland. With limited water, failing crops, and ongoing clashes over livestock, both tribes were forced to search for a new place to survive.

Their journey led them to the growing town of Kitale. Overnight, it felt as if they had been dropped into a world far removed from their traditional way of life. Unfamiliar with city systems, unwelcome by many residents, and desperate for safety, the Turkana and Pokot families sought refuge wherever they could. They eventually settled near Kitale’s dumping sites and this place became known as Kipsongo – a name given by locals meaning “Place of the Dogs” or “Place of Hopelessness.”

Life in Kipsongo Today

Today, more than 13,000 people live on just 6.5 acres of land. While poverty affects much of Kitale, the levels of hardship in Kipsongo are unparalleled. Homes are constructed from sticks, tarps, plastic, and discarded materials. Families face ongoing threats from fires during the dry season and flooding in the rainy months.

Because Kipsongo sits beside the city’s dump, it has long been associated with crime, addiction, and exploitation – labels that further isolate its people and make their daily struggles invisible to the outside world.

In 1984, a devastating cholera outbreak swept through the area, taking countless lives. Hundreds of children were orphaned and left to survive on the streets, creating a lost generation that grew up without stability, protection, or opportunity.

To this day, Kipsongo remains the place where the city discards what it no longer wants – trash, materials, and too often, people’s assumptions. Beneath these labels, however, are families who are simply fighting to survive. Their stories are marked by resilience, strength, and an enduring hope for a better future.