Eldoret or El Dorado? How a naming puzzle was solved

Ongoing construction of Eldoret 64 Stadium, June 15, 2022. [Stephen Rutto, Standard]

When the whites arrived in Kenya at the end of the 19th Century, they found many local names hard to pronounce. Many areas had Maasai names since the community used these locations as grazing and watering grounds for their cattle. Nairobi, Nakuru, Naivasha and many others are all 'modernised' Maasai names.

Then there were those places whose names grew organically. Among these is Eldoret. Boers from South Africa and the British invaded the area in early 20th Century. There was a scramble of sorts for the rich Rift Valley highlands.