Western Province (Kenya)

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Western Province" Kenya – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (November 2006) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Western Region Mkoa wa Magharibi
Former Province
Location in Kenya.
Coordinates: 0°30′N 34°35′E / 0.500°N 34.583°E / 0.500; 34.583
Country	Kenya
Capital	Kakamega
Area
• Total	7,400.4 km2 (2,857.3 sq mi)
Population  (2009)
• Total	4,334,202
• Density	590/km2 (1,500/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+3 (EAT)

Western Province (Swahili: Magharibi) was one of Kenya's seven administrative provinces outside Nairobi. It is inhabited mainly by the Luhya people. Quakerism is widely practised here. Kenya's second highest mountain, Mount Elgon is located in Bungoma District. The Kakamega Forest rainforest is part of the area. The province capital was Kakamega. After the 2013 general election, and the coming into effect of the new constitution, provinces became defunct and the country is currently divided into 47 counties. Each county has its own government and therefore there is no central regional capital. Western Province became the Western region, comprising four counties: Kakamega, Bungoma, Vihiga, and Busia.

Kakamega is the seat of government for Kakamega County, Bungoma County has its seat in Bungoma town, Busia County has the Assemble in Busia, Vihiga County in Vihiga town, all the County governments and governors are answerable to the people not to the national government.