Kenya contains the largest body of Quakers in a single nation. There were about 130,000 members of the Religious Society of Friends there, in the year 2000 (according to the Friends World Committee for Consultation). The Quaker faith has been thriving and growing in Kenya for over 100 years.

History

The Society of Friends were the first Christian group to minister to the Luhya people in western Kenya.

On April 23, 1902 three Friends — Arthur Chilson, Edgar Hole, and Willis Hotchkiss — set sail from New York to Mombasa, Kenya. They went on behalf of the Cleveland Friends Meeting. From there they made their way across land to Kaimosi and set up a mission there on August 17.

From that small

Yearly Meetings

Yearly meetings in Kenya are part of the Friends United Meeting. They include:

• Bware Yearly Meeting, based in Suna
• Central Yearly Meeting, based in Kakamega
• Chavakali Yearly Meeting
• East Africa Yearly Meeting (Kaimosi), based in Tiriki
• East Africa Yearly Meeting (North), based in Kitale
• Elgon East Yearly Meeting, based in Kitale
• Elgon Religious Society of Friends (West), based in Lugulu Via Webuye
• Kakamega Yearly Meeting
• Lugari Yearly Meeting, based in Turbo
• Malava Yearly Meeting
• Nairobi Yearly Meeting
• Tuoli Yearly Meeting, based in Kapsabet
• Vihiga Yearly Meeting
• Vokoli Yearly Meeting, based in Wodanga