Nyanza region is comprised of the 6 counties of the former provincial administration unit. These counties include Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii and Nyamira which straddles Lake Victoria and are part of the Lake Region Economic Block (LREB). The region is located in the southwest part of Kenya around Lake Victoria, includes part of the eastern edge of Lake Victoria, and is inhabited predominantly by the Luo, the Kisiis, the Kurias, and Luhyas The region derives its name from Nyanza, a Bantu word which means a large mass of water and covers an area of 12,477.1 KM2. The climatic condition in the region is tropical humid.
The population of the region as per the 2019 census is 6,269,579 with Siaya having a population of 993,183, Kisumu 1,155,574, Homa Bay 1,131,950, Migori 1,116,436, Kisii (1,266,860) and Nyamira 605,576 respectively with poverty indices ranging between 38% to 49%. In the last two decades the region has suffered collapse of formal sector and industrial activities. Massive unemployment, degrading education standards and poverty relegates many residents – especially the youth – to a life of deprivation and hopelessness. High dependency levels stifle savings and investment and the vicious circle condemns majority of the population to perpetual poverty hindering the region from economic take-off. The fishing industry has not transformed the lives of the inhabitants despite its contribution to the gross domestic product due to lack of investment by the successive governments and exploitation by cartels in the industry. The region remains as one of the regions in Kenya with the greatest potentials with opportunities for growth based on the resource. Thus, devolution if well implemented would largely enable the region tap to these potentials.
Economic empowerment which encapsulates eradication of poverty, creation of employment opportunities, adoption of better agricultural practices, and enabling communities to have sustainable financial bases leads the community’s pressing needs at 34% followed with educational needs touching on bursaries and scholarships, free education for all, and availability of vocational training institutions at 16%, security, peace and cohesion at 14%.