Unreached peoples of Kenya
An overview of the country's people groups, focusing on those who still have little or no access to the gospel in their own language and culture.
Overview
Kenya is home to 102 people groups, of which 25 are still classified as unreached by the gospel, representing about 9.3% of the total population. Most unreached groups are found among Muslim populations in the northeast and on the coast, especially of Somali, Oromo and Arab origin. Semi-nomadic pastoralist groups of the north, such as the Turkana, Rendille and Borana, have limited access to the gospel and to the Scriptures in their mother tongues. The challenge of 39 languages without a complete translated Bible points to the depth of the need for outreach in this nation.
In the country i
82.3%Christians
53.1%evangelicals
By population i
9.3%unreached
78.5%significantly reached
- 9.3% Unreached (5.3M)
- 0.7% Minimally reached (424K)
- 0.2% Superficially reached (95K)
- 11.3% Partially reached (6.5M)
- 78.5% Significantly reached (45M)
By people groups i
102people groups
25unreached · 24.5%
- 24.5% Unreached (25)
- 7.8% Minimally reached (8)
- 1% Superficially reached (1)
- 17.6% Partially reached (18)
- 49% Significantly reached (50)
Source of people group data: Joshua Project (joshuaproject.net). Estimates, may vary.
Source: Joshua Project. Estimates, may vary.
Unreached people groups · 102
| People | Population | Language | Evang. | Chr. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mijikenda Digo Frontier | 724K | Chidigo | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Swahili Frontier | 1.2M | Swahili | 0.9% | 1.8% |
| Mukogodo Yaaku | 5K | Yaaku | 0.7% | 6% |
| Ilwana | 24K | Kiwilwana | < 0.1% | 3.8% |
| Somali Frontier | 28.9M | Somali | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Orma Frontier | 160K | Orma | 0% | 0.1% |
| Madhiban Frontier | 12K | Somali | 0% | 0% |
| Waata | 22K | Waata | < 0.1% | 3.4% |
| Somali Bantu Frontier | 1.1M | Maay | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Somali Ajuran Frontier | 199K | Somali | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Oromo Sakuye | 53K | Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo | 0% | 1.3% |
| Gujarati Creole | 101K | Cutchi-Swahili | 0.1% | 3% |
| Gujarati Frontier | 2.9M | Gujarati | 0.3% | 1.4% |
| Oromo Garre Frontier | 741K | Garre | 0% | 0.1% |
| Segeju Frontier | 24K | Swahili | < 0.1% | < 0.1% |
| Borana-speaking Ajuran | 185K | Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo | 0% | 1.6% |
| Munyoyaya | 16K | Orma | < 0.1% | 2.6% |
| Kacchi | 120K | Kacchi | 0.1% | 1% |
| Swahili Bajuni | 141K | Swahili | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Wardei Frontier | 71K | Somali | 0% | 0.1% |
| Punjabi | 2.1M | Eastern Punjabi | 0.3% | 1% |
| Aweer | 22K | Aweer | 0.1% | 0.9% |
| Rendille | 97K | Rendille | < 0.1% | 62.3% |
| Kalenjin Okiek | 59K | Okiek | 1.4% | 35% |
| Deaf Frontier | 27.5M | Pakistan Sign Language | 1.8% | 3.7% |
| Rendille Ariaal | 16K | Samburu | 1.3% | 20% |
| Nubi Nubian | 54K | Nubi | 1.4% | 2.7% |
| Daasanach | 117K | Daasanach | 1.3% | 2.3% |
| Toposa Frontier | 381K | Toposa | 1.9% | 84% |
| Omotik Ndorobo | 200 | Omotik | 1% | 6% |
| Arab | 2M | Swahili | 1.9% | 14.4% |
| Oromo Borana | 1.9M | Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo | 1.4% | 4.6% |
| Upper Pokomo | 78K | Kipfokomu | 1% | 3% |
| El Molo | 1K | Samburu | 2% | 12% |
| Oromo Gabra Frontier | 214K | Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo | 2.2% | 6.5% |
| Ilchamus | 46K | Samburu | 2.1% | 7% |
| Kalenjin Keiyo | 280K | Keiyo | 3% | 75% |
| Kalenjin Marakwet | 144K | Markweeta | 3% | 46% |
| Ndigiri | 3K | Gikuyu | 3% | 7% |
| Ik | 18K | Ik | 3.3% | 85% |
| Chinese | 15.5M | Mandarin Chinese | 4.5% | 8.5% |
| Kalenjin Nandi | 1.3M | Nandi | 4% | 98% |
| Kalenjin Terik | 128K | Terik | 4% | 80% |
| Kalenjin Sabaot | 330K | Sabaot | 4% | 90% |
| Kalenjin Kipsigis | 2.7M | Kipsigis | 5% | 97% |
| Kalenjin Tugen | 221K | Tugen | 5% | 90% |
| Dahalo | 3K | Dahalo | 6.6% | 7% |
| Kalenjin Pokot | 362K | Pokoot | 8.3% | 46.8% |
| British | 55M | English | 8.9% | 60.4% |
| Mijikenda Chonyi | 345K | Chichonyi-Chidzihana-Chikauma | 12% | 50% |
| Mijikenda Kauma | 11K | Kigiryama | 12% | 30% |
| Mijikenda Ribe | 12K | Kigiryama | 12% | 30% |
| Samburu | 371K | Samburu | 12% | 30% |
| Kuria | 1.2M | Kuria | 12.2% | 54.1% |
| Mijikenda Rabai | 141K | Kigiryama | 13% | 40% |
| Iteso | 4.6M | Ateso | 13.8% | 97.6% |
| Mbeere | 217K | Kiembu | 14% | 34% |
| Mijikenda Jibana | 5K | Kigiryama | 14% | 20% |
| Mijikenda Kambe | 35K | Kigiryama | 14% | 20% |
| Chagga | 1.4M | Mochi | 15.3% | 92.7% |
| Turkana | 1.5M | Turkana | 21.2% | 46.1% |
| Mwimbi-Muthambi | 250K | Mwimbi-Muthambi | 22% | 40% |
| Tharaka | 245K | Kitharaka | 22% | 43% |
| Maasai | 2.1M | Maasai | 22.9% | 42.8% |
| Chuka | 250K | Gichuka | 23% | 40% |
| Mijikenda Duruma | 619K | Chiduruma | 24% | 65% |
| Sagalla Taita | 384K | Sagalla | 24% | 37% |
| Lower Tana Pokomo | 46K | Kipfokomu | 25% | 75% |
| Rwandan Hutu | 14.3M | Kinyarwanda | 27.2% | 90.2% |
| Taveta | 38K | Taveta | 29.4% | 70.5% |
| Hutu Rundi | 13.9M | Rundi | 29.9% | 94% |
| Burji | 183K | Burji | 31.2% | 33.2% |
| Masaba | 2.6M | Masaaba | 32.2% | 83.1% |
| US Americans | 202.4M | English | 32.9% | 81% |
| Luhya Saamia | 761K | Saamya-Gwe | 33.6% | 95% |
| Goanese | 676K | Goan Konkani | 35.6% | 99.8% |
| Dabida Taita | 418K | Dawida | 35.8% | 79% |
| Luhya Tiriki | 104K | Luidakho-Luisukha-Lutirichi | 40% | 85% |
| Luhya Isukha | 114K | Luidakho-Luisukha-Lutirichi | 41% | 85% |
| Baganda | 9M | Ganda | 41.5% | 67.2% |
| Luhya Maragoli | 374K | Lulogooli | 42% | 95% |
| Luhya Kabras | 153K | Lukabaras | 43% | 90% |
| Luhya Kisa | 39K | Olushisa | 43% | 90% |
| Luhya Wanga | 105K | Oluwanga | 44% | 94% |
| Luhya Nyala | 253K | Nyala | 44% | 94% |
| Luhya Idakho | 61K | Luidakho-Luisukha-Lutirichi | 44% | 94% |
| Suba | 176K | Suba | 45% | 100% |
| Luhya Marachi | 73K | Olumarachi | 46% | 90% |
| Luhya Nyore | 173K | Olunyole | 46% | 93% |
| Luhya Tachoni | 95K | Lutachoni | 47% | 85% |
| Luhya Khayo | 77K | Olukhayo | 48% | 90% |
| Embu | 473K | Kiembu | 48% | 95% |
| Mijikenda Giriama | 1.4M | Kigiryama | 48% | 90% |
| Konso | 509K | Konso | 48.7% | 60.9% |
| Luhya Marama | 48K | Olumarama | 49% | 90% |
| Luhya Tsoto | 81K | Olutsotso | 49% | 90% |
| Gusii | 3.8M | Ekegusii | 59.8% | 95% |
| Meru | 2.8M | Kimiiru | 59.8% | 97% |
| Luo | 7.5M | Dholuo | 60.3% | 97.9% |
| Luhya Bukusu | 2.5M | Bukusu | 60.7% | 97.6% |
| Kamba | 7.5M | Kamba | 65.3% | 97.9% |
| Kikuyu | 11.8M | Gikuyu | 71.3% | 97.9% |
Intercede for Kenya and its peoples
Every unreached people group is an entire culture still without full access to the gospel. Join in prayer with Christians around the world.
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