Kirinyaga County is a county in the former Central Province of Kenya, located south of Mount Kenya. Its capital is Kutus and its largest town is Wanguru.[2] In 2019, the county had a population of 610,411 people[1] and an area of 1,478.1 km2. The county is bordered to the east and south by Embu County, to the south by a tiny part of Machakos County, to the southwest by Murang'a County and to the northwest by Nyeri County.
Kirinyaga County | |
|---|---|
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
 Location in Kenya | |
| Country |  Kenya |
| Formed | 4 March 2013 |
| Capital | Kutus |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Anne Waiguru |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,478.1 km2 (570.7 sq mi) |
| Population (2019) | |
| • Total | 610,411[1] |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (EAT) |
| Website | kirinyaga |
Kirinyaga County lies between 1158 and 5199 meters above sea level; its highest point is the summit of Mount Kenya.[3]
Kirinyaga County's governor is Anne Waiguru, who was elected to her first term in 2017, succeeding Joseph Ndathi. She was re-elected in 2022.[4]
Etymology
The name Kirinyaga is derived from the name of the mountain now called Mount Kenya. When the German explorer Johann Ludwig Krapf came across the mountain, his guide, Kamba trader Chief Kivoi, told Krapf that the mountain was called Kii Nyaa, the Kamba translation of the Kikuyu's Kiri Nyaga. Krapf would then record this as Kenya, a name which would be applied to the mountain and later the country.
History
Kirinyaga District was established in 1963 from the western part of Embu District.[2] Kerugoya was the district's administrative headquarters. After it became a county, Kutus was made the county Headquarters. In 2007, Kirinyaga District was divided into four new districts:
- Kirinyaga Central with its administrative centre in Kerugoya
- Kirinyaga East with its administrative centre in Kianyaga
- Kirinyaga South with its administrative centre in Wanguru
- Kirinyaga West with its administrative centre in Baricho
Administration
Since April 2013, the County Government of Kirinyaga has administered all of Kirinyaga County. Formerly, the County Council of Kirinyaga administered the county excluding the area that was administered by the Municipal Council of Kerugoya/Kutus and the Town Council of Sagana-Kagio.[2]
Kirinyaga County's governor is Anne Waiguru, who was elected to her first term in 2017, succeeding Joseph Ndathi. She was re-elected in 2022.[4]
Subdivisions
Kirinyaga District is divided as follows:
| Local authorities (councils) | |||
| Authority | Type | Population* | Urban pop.* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kerugoya/Kutus | Municipality | 39,441 | 14,056 |
| Sagana/Kagio | Town | 22,475 | 3,031 |
| Kirinyaga | County | 395,189 | 13,103 |
| Total | - | 457,105 | 30,190 |
| * 1999 census. Source: [1] | |||
| Administrative divisions | |||
| Division | Population* | Urban pop.* | Headquarters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central | 74,068 | 12,585 | Kerugoya |
| Gichugu | 121,738 | 1,988 | Kianyaga |
| Mwea | 125,962 | 7,625 | Wanguru |
| Ndia | 135,337 | 2,960 | Baricho |
| Total | 457,105 | 25,158 | - |
| * 1999 census. Sources: [2], [3] | |||
Electoral constituencies
The county has four constituencies:
Population
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 291,431 | — |
| 1989 | 391,516 | +34.3% |
| 1999 | 457,105 | +16.8% |
| 2009 | 528,054 | +15.5% |
| 2019 | 610,411 | +15.6% |
| source:[5] | ||
Religion
Religion in Kirinyaga County [6]
| Religion (2019 Census) | Number |
|---|---|
| Catholicism | 179,316 |
| Protestant | 240,600 |
| Evangelical Churches | 122,301 |
| African instituted Churches | 34.072 |
| Orthodox | 2,304 |
| Other Cristian | 14,564 |
| Islam | 2,425 |
| Hindu | 169 |
| Traditionists | 233 |
| Other | 3,314 |
| No Religion/Atheists | 5,580 |
| Don't Know | 721 |
| Not Stated | 31 |
Central Kenya Region
Urbanisation
| County | Urbanisation in Central Kenya (Per cent) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiambu County | 60.8 | ||||||||
| Nyeri County | 24.5 | ||||||||
| Nyandarua County | 18.5 | ||||||||
| Muranga County | 16.3 | ||||||||
| Kirinyaga County | 15.8 | ||||||||
| Kenya Average | 32.3 | ||||||||
Urbanisation by County in Central Kenya | |||||||||
Source: OpenDataKenya
Poverty level
| County | Poverty Level in Central Kenya (Per cent) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kirinyaga County | 20.2 | ||||||||
| Muranga County | 28.5 | ||||||||
| Kiambu County | 28.9 | ||||||||
| Nyeri County | 32.7 | ||||||||
| Nyandarua County | 46.6 | ||||||||
| Kenya Average | 45.9 | ||||||||
Poverty level by County | |||||||||
Source: OpenDataKenya Worldbank
Economy
Like most counties in the Mount Kenya region, agriculture is the main economic activity in Kirinyaga County. The county is best known for rice production from the Mwea Irrigation Scheme, which is watered by canal from the Thiba River. Coffee and tea are also grown in the cooler areas of the county. Other crops grown in the area include maize, beans, tomatoes, French beans, and other horticultural crops. Due to the scarcity of land and high population, most agriculture is done on a small scale. There is also fishing in Sagana along the Sagana River.[7]
Kirinyaga County's business sector is growing quickly. Another significant economic feature is tourism. In 2013 Kirinyaga was ranked the second richest county in Kenya.[7]
Villages and settlements
- Difatha
- Kibingoti
- Kibirigwi
- Thumaitay
- Mbiri
- Kiamutugu
- Muthigi-ini
- Kairini
- Mukangu
- Kianjege East and Kianjege West
- Gathoge
- Mururi
- Kianjiru
- Kimbimbi
- Part of Makutano
- Kathangarari
- Ngaru
- Kaitheri
- Kiaritha
- Kithioro
- Kerugoya town
- Gathambi
- Ndiriti
- Kandegwa
- Muragara,
- Gathigiriri
- South Ngariama (Mumbu, Kandawa, Itangi,)