The Socio-Economic Impact of the African Inland Church in Nandi County 1895-1992

This study was about the socio-economic impact of the African Inland Church (AIC) in Nandi County, Kenya, from 1895 to 1992, focusing on its contributions to education, healthcare, and agriculture. This study was necessary to be carried out because most of the earlier research had concentrated on the political and administrative aspects of Nandi County. The research objectives included: To examine the role of AIC in the growth of education, to examine the role of AIC in the development and expansion of the healthcare system, and to examine the agricultural initiatives by the AIC in Nandi County, 1895-1992. The study was guided by Transformation theory and Socio-Cultural theory. The research employed a qualitative research design(case study). The sampling method used in this study was non-probability sampling, specifically involving Snowball and purposive sampling. This is because the researcher selected the respondents to participate in the study. The study involved 40 respondents and was conducted over a period of six months. A source of data that was used in this study was: primary sources of data, which included the Kenya national archives and oral information of the respondents, and secondary data, which included published books and journals. The research instruments included an interview guide and an observation guide. The analysis of the data was conducted qualitatively, and the presentation was done descriptively. The research findings included that AIC had established at least 28 schools in Nandi County, with Kapsabet Government African School as a supervisory center. Challenges like teacher shortages and a Eurocentric curriculum, the church’s education initiatives expanded literacy and access to formal learning. This study recommends that AICs played a transformative role in advancing education, health, and economic livelihoods in Nandi County, offering valuable insights for future policy interventions and faith-based development models in similarly rooted communities. Ethical approval was obtained, and participants’ informed consent, confidentiality, and autonomy were upheld throughout the study. This study recommends future research on the Catholic Church’s role in mediating the 2007–2008 post-election violence, particularly in Nandi County, to fill existing gaps on how faith-based institutions contributed to peace-building, conflict resolution, and long-term inter-ethnic cohesion in Kenya.