THE HISTORY OF ISIOLO TOWN

Isiolo town is the Headquarter of the county and the gateway to the northern half of the country. The town has an estimated population of 80,000 people, most of them living in the rural outbacks of the County. There is an increasing urban population in the recent years, especially from as far as Moyale, Marsabit and mandera. The Isiolo town is also becoming a centre of interst because of the of its newly acquired status as a resort city cashing in popular Samburu and Shaba Game reserves which have become preferred destination after the famed Maasai Mara. Isiolo lies along the long A2 Road, leading towards Marsabit and Moyale much farther north. The town is served by Isiolo Airport, which is set to be upgraded to serve tourism and local exports.
Isiolo hosts a mix of tribes including: Boran, Somali, Turkana, Samburu and Rendille (all traditional pastoralists) and the Meru (agro-business), with a number of other tribes from all over Kenya also being present (due to military bases located in the vicinity). The town of Isiolo is small but cosmopolitan. With a scenic beauty including an eclectic mix of peoples and cultures, Isiolo is home to the Niger-Congo and Nilo-Saharan-speaking Ameru, Samburu and Turkana, as well as the Cushitic-speaking Rendille and Boran. The large Somali population is mainly the result of retired Somali soldiers who settled in the area after World War I.
Isiolo is set to become a major part of Kenya’s economic development plan Vision 2030. The plan calls for Isiolo to become a tourist center that will include include casinos, hotels, upscale retail outlets, a modern airport and transport facilities.
Isiolo town was designated as the Headquarters of the Northern frontier Countys by The British East Africa Protectorate in 1922, until the North Eastern was curved out as a separate province in 1963 following the Lancaster House Constitutional conference. Some parts of the countys were lost to the larger Meru County in 1960s during the Shifta war at the instigation of the then powerful Meru minister of Lands, Jackson Angaine. Some of the famous grazing land such as Bisaan Adi and Bisaan Gurach became part of Meru National Game Reserve and Mulika Lodge. Isiolo is also known for its large market, while jewellery making is a local industry. The Samburu, Buffalo Springs and Shaba National Reserves lie north of the town, while Lewa Downs reserve is located south of Isiolo. The Meru National Park lies in the North East of the town.