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Busia, a bustling border town in western Kenya, occupies a unique geographic position at 0.4608°N, 34.1108°E. Situated on the shores of Lake Victoria, the town’s terrain is largely flat, gently sloping towards the lake, with an elevation around 1150m. This proximity to the vast freshwater body significantly influences local climate and, consequently, air quality. The surrounding landscape is a mosaic of agricultural land – primarily smallholder farms cultivating maize, sugarcane, and vegetables – interspersed with patches of woodland. Busia serves as a crucial transit point for goods moving between Kenya, Uganda, and beyond, resulting in considerable vehicular traffic. While not heavily industrialized itself, the town experiences impacts from industrial activity in nearby Ugandan centres. The urban-rural gradient is sharp; the town centre is densely populated and characterized by informal settlements, transitioning quickly to rural farmland. Dust from unpaved roads, agricultural practices, and cross-border transport contribute to particulate matter pollution. The lake breezes offer some dispersion, but temperature inversions, common in the mornings, can trap pollutants close to the ground, exacerbating air quality issues. The town’s location within the Lake Victoria basin means it’s susceptible to humidity and localized weather patterns that affect pollutant dispersal.

Busia experiences a bimodal rainfall pattern, defining its ‘seasons’ as wet and dry. The long rains, typically from March to June, offer a temporary respite from dust-related pollution as rainfall washes particulate matter from the air. However, increased humidity can foster mold growth, impacting respiratory health. July to October marks the drier season, and this is when air quality tends to worsen. Increased agricultural burning to prepare fields for planting, combined with drier conditions and higher levels of dust from roads and construction, contribute to elevated particulate matter. November to February is another wet season, again providing some relief. However, the increased cross-border traffic during this period, linked to trade and movement of people, leads to higher emissions from vehicles. Temperature inversions are more frequent during the cooler mornings of the dry seasons, trapping pollutants. Sensitive groups – children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions – should limit strenuous outdoor activity during the drier months, particularly in the mornings and evenings. Monitoring wind patterns is crucial; winds from agricultural areas can bring smoke plumes into town.