ABSTRACTThis study focuses on the relationship between water discharge and suspended sediment concentration in the River Malewa, Kenya. The period investigated covers the interval from 1931 to 1959. The river is located in a semi-arid part of Rift Valley Province, Kenya. The River Malewa catchment covers an area of approximately 1 550 km2. Average annual rainfall within the catchment varies between 650 mm in the lower southeastern parts, and 1 100 mm on the slopes of Nyandarua Range. During the period investigated the measured daily discharge ranged between 1–138 m3/s. The data indicate a maximum daily transport of suspended sediment load of approximately 10 000 tonnes. This is equivalent to a suspended sediment yield of approximately 6 tonnes/km2. Based on the measurements of suspended sediment concentration and water discharge, different regression models are used to establish the best relationship in sediment rating curves. Comparison is made between the amount of load measured and the calculated figures of total suspended sediment load, derived from regression analysis. From the established relationships between water discharge and suspended sediment concentration, the calculated minimum average soil loss within the Malewa basin (1931–1959) amounts to 9 tonnes/km2and year.