Nairobi in the warm light of late afternoon

Kenyans of Asian heritage

Descendants of South Asian traders and railway laborers, gazetted as a Kenyan community in July 2017.

Origins

Kenyans of Asian heritage descend from South Asian traders and from the roughly 32,000 indentured laborers brought from British India between 1896 and 1901 to build the Uganda Railway. Most trace their roots to Gujarat and Punjab.

Homeland

The community's main home counties are Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

Nairobi's skyline at golden hour — Nairobi County.

Faith and language

The community includes Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Ismaili, Bohra, Sunni and Goan Catholic families. Gujarati, Hindi and Punjabi are spoken alongside Swahili and English.

History

The census counted 176,613 Asians in 1962. Large-scale emigration followed independence, and in 2019 the census counted 47,555 citizens of Asian heritage, plus 42,972 non-citizen Asians.

The coral walls of Fort Jesus above the sea — Mombasa County.

Recognition

In July 2017 the community was gazetted as Kenya's "44th tribe". The label was not universally welcomed: some community voices rejected it as unnecessary and divisive.

Sources

From The Peoples of Kenya: An Ethnographic Reference (Kenya Experience, November 2026), a synthesis of published sources. Practices described as traditional are historical baselines; today most Kenyans are Christian or Muslim, live in or near towns and speak Swahili and English. Spot something to correct? Write to kibetck@kenyaexperience.org.

Common questions

Why do so many people of Indian origin live in Kenya?

Many descend from South Asian traders and from the roughly 32,000 indentured laborers brought from British India between 1896 and 1901 to build the Uganda Railway. Most trace roots to Gujarat and Punjab.

What is the 44th tribe of Kenya?

Kenyans of Asian heritage were gazetted as the "44th tribe" in July 2017. Some community voices rejected the label as unnecessary and divisive.

How many Asians live in Kenya?

The 2019 census counted 47,555 citizens of Asian heritage and 42,972 non-citizen Asians, down from 176,613 Asians in 1962.

What religions do Kenyan Asians follow?

The community includes Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Ismaili, Bohra, Sunni and Goan Catholic communities.

How do you greet Kenyans of Asian heritage?

Kem cho? in Gujarati, Namaste in Hindi or Sat sri akal among Punjabi Sikhs, alongside Swahili and English. These are from general knowledge, so check with a speaker.

Umoja

Umoja means unity.

More than forty peoples, one Kenya

Kenya's many communities, languages and traditions are one of its great strengths, and the reason no two days of a Kenya trip feel the same. Meet them through hosts, guides and neighbors on a trip planned by Kenyans.

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