Kisumu town derives its name from the Luo word 'Kisumo' which according to the native community refers to a place where people meet to exchange goods.
However, the name does not necessarily mean the same as 'market' locally know as 'Chiro'.
Like other towns including 'Nairobi' which means a place of cold water and 'Ankata Rankai' a fast growing town that later changed name to Ongata Rongai, which according to the Maasai refers to 'the home of animals', Kisumu received its name from the native community, Luo.
'Kisumo' according to the Luo was a term used especially during famine periods when people would visit relatives who had some food in store and the visitor when returning to his or her home would be escorted with or given some grains and dried meat locally referred to as 'Aliya'.
'Kisumo' was borrowed from the verb 'Sumo' which means getting the left-overs from a farm after harvest period.
So how did the name change from Kisumo to Kisumu?
At the time Europeans and Indians arrived to the area of the present day Kisumu, the visitors found difficulty pronouncing the word correctly and would always call the place 'Kisuma'. The name 'Kisuma' then evolved to the present day Kisumu, although locals still call it Kisumo.
The town is now the headquarters of the present day Kisumu County and is the largest town in Western Kenya.
The county stretches from the Nandi escarpments at the Eastern side to the Kano plains in the middle all through to the hills of the West.
The Kano Plain remains Kisumu's most prominent feature, characterised by black cotton soil which is very fertile.
Besides, Kisumu has a number of inselbergs located at Kisian with several rock outcrops with the most famous one being Kit Mikayi in Seme.
So, next time somebody asked you whether it is 'Kisuma', 'Kisumo' or Kisumu, you have the answer.