About Bura

Bura is located in the Taita-Taveta County of southeastern Kenya, near the Taita Hills and close to the border with Tanzania. The people of Bura predominantly belong to the Taita (Dawida) ethnic group. While most residents under 30 speak English, Dawida remains their mother tongue, and Swahili serves as Kenya's national language. Kenya’s Taita population is estimated at around 250,000, making it one of the country's smaller ethnic groups. The ancestors of Bura’s Taita community are believed to have migrated from Lewa in Tanzania, seeking land for grazing and farming. They initially settled in the hills for crop cultivation while maintaining plots in the lower regions for other uses. Family members would migrate seasonally to tend the farms and graze livestock, with game meat and traditionally harvested honey readily available. People often traveled on foot, even as far as Tanzania (about 30 miles), to visit friends or trade goods and livestock.

Colonial rule disrupted these systems, significantly contributing to food insecurity for the Bura people. During the colonial era, large portions of fertile land were appropriated by the British government and allocated to European settlers, leaving many indigenous communities with only marginal lands in dry, bushy lowlands, which were poorly suited for sustainable agriculture. Forced relocations and the imposition of cash crop farming to serve colonial markets shifted the focus away from traditional food crops that had previously ensured local food security. Additionally, restrictive colonial policies limited indigenous people’s access to land and resources, forcing many Bura families to work on settler-owned plantations instead of tending to their own farms. This dependency on wage labor left families vulnerable to food shortages as they could no longer produce enough food to meet their needs.

In the 1960s, following Kenya’s independence from British colonial rule in 1963, tourism began to emerge as one of the country's leading industries. During this period, President Jomo Kenyatta allocated a large tract of land in the Bura area to a European friend, establishing the Taita Hills Wildlife Reserve and Salt Lick Lodge. Although hunting was banned to protect wildlife, little was done to protect farmers from roaming animals like elephants and buffaloes, which frequently destroyed crops, uprooted fruit trees, and posed a threat to local residents. This ongoing wildlife threat has restricted agricultural activities in the lowlands, where significant labor is now required to guard crops.

Today, Bura is home to numerous schools, including twelve primary schools, seven high schools, a vocational center for the disabled, a polytechnic school, and a private teachers' training college.

There are five health centers:

Sagaighu
Mbagha
Mwashuma
Bura Station
Bura Mission

A police base is located near the Mission, with another outpost at the Chief's headquarters. Catholicism is the predominant religion, though there are also Pentecostal and Anglican churches in the area. Bura Location is divided into seven sub-locations, each comprising multiple villages. A village head governs each village, while an appointed Assistant Chief governs each sub-location under the supervision of a Chief at the Location level. All Chiefs in Taita-Taveta County report to the County Commissioner, who reports to the Regional Commissioner and ultimately to the President. Elected officials include councilors at the Location level and Members of Parliament at the Regional level.