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Embu is a town located approximately northeast of
Nairobi Nairobi is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kenya. The city lies in the south-central part of Kenya, at an elevation of . The name is derived from the Maasai language, Maasai phrase , which translates to 'place of cool waters', a ...
towards
Mount Kenya Mount Kenya (Meru people, Meru: ''Kĩrĩmaara,'' Kikuyu people, Kikuyu: ''Kĩrĩnyaga'', Kamba language, Kamba: ''Ki nyaa'', Embu language, Embu: ''Kĩ nyaga'') is an extinct volcano in Kenya and the Highest mountain peaks of Africa, second-highe ...
. Embu served as the provincial capital of the former Eastern Province and currently serves as the headquarters of
Embu County Embu County is a Counties of Kenya, county in the Mt Kenya region in Kenya. As of 2024 its estimated population is 608,599. The county borders Kirinyaga County, Kirinyaga to the west, Kitui County, Kitui to the east, Tharaka Nithi County, Tharak ...
in Kenya. Located on the south-eastern foothills of
Mount Kenya Mount Kenya (Meru people, Meru: ''Kĩrĩmaara,'' Kikuyu people, Kikuyu: ''Kĩrĩnyaga'', Kamba language, Kamba: ''Ki nyaa'', Embu language, Embu: ''Kĩ nyaga'') is an extinct volcano in Kenya and the Highest mountain peaks of Africa, second-highe ...
, the Municipality of Embu had a population of 204,979 in 2019 census. Embu is also the 8th Largest Municipality in Kenya. It is the commercial hub of the Central Eastern part of Kenya and provides an avenue for trade, tourism and highway transit between the national capital and the Northern Frontier.


History

Embu town is a major trading centre in Eastern Kenya. For a long time, it was the main economic centre for the
Embu Embu may refer to: Places ; in Brazil * Embu das Artes * Embu-Guaçu ; in Kenya * Embu, Kenya * Embu County Other

*Embu people of Kenya *Embu language, the Bantu language spoken by them {{Disamb, geo ...
, Mbeere, Meru and
Kamba Kamba may refer to: *Kamba African Rainforest Experiences, a collection of eco-luxury lodges in the Republic of Congo *Kamba people of Kenya *Bena-Kamba, a community in the Democratic Republic of the Congo *Khampa, also spelled Kamba, Tibetan peop ...
communities as well as other communities from central Kenya. Mbeere was carved out of the former Embu district in the 1990s and
Siakago Siakago is a town in Embu County, Kenya. It was previously the capital of the former Mbeere District in Eastern Province. It hosted the Mbeere county council and was also headquarters of Siakago Division in Mbeere District. In 1999, Siakago D ...
town, about east of Embu town, was made its headquarters. Origins of Embu people are cited from North West Africa. They moved south to Congo. Then later moved Eastwards to the coast of Kenya via Tanganyika. While in Tanganyika the Embu intermarried with both natives and migrants from farther south (mostly Bantus). They later moved North towards Meru leaving their relatives, the Gikuyu, at ''Ithanga.'' They then crossed ''Igambang'ombe'' ford. They settled at ''Gikuuri'' near ''Maranga'' hills. Others settled at ''Tharaka'' but later left due to famine and moved to the current
Embu Embu may refer to: Places ; in Brazil * Embu das Artes * Embu-Guaçu ; in Kenya * Embu, Kenya * Embu County Other

*Embu people of Kenya *Embu language, the Bantu language spoken by them {{Disamb, geo ...
It is believed as they moved towards the slopes of Mt Kenya, they encountered pygmy tribes such as the Gumba and the Zimba in the forest; some of whom were cannibalistic. They were cultivators, planted crops like sorghum, millet and sweet potatoes. Today they have cash crops like
coffee Coffee is a beverage brewed from roasted, ground coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content, but decaffeinated coffee is also commercially a ...
, tea, miraa and
macadamia ''Macadamia'' is a genus of four species of trees in the flowering plant family Proteaceae. They are indigenous to Australia—specifically, northeastern New South Wales and central and southeastern Queensland. Two species of the genus are comm ...


Geography

The Municipality of Embu has an elevation of , and is located on the foothills of
Mount Kenya Mount Kenya (Meru people, Meru: ''Kĩrĩmaara,'' Kikuyu people, Kikuyu: ''Kĩrĩnyaga'', Kamba language, Kamba: ''Ki nyaa'', Embu language, Embu: ''Kĩ nyaga'') is an extinct volcano in Kenya and the Highest mountain peaks of Africa, second-highe ...
. It was the provincial headquarters of the defunct Eastern province, and is currently the Embu County Headquarters, hosting major public offices and institutions, including Embu Provincial General Hospital. The area around the Municipality of Embu has conducive altitude for endurance training by athletes. As such, Kenyan athletes use the altitude and climate advantage of Embu for training, with specialised facilities at Kigari Teachers' Training College, about north of Embu Town. Embu Town is known for its
jacaranda ''Jacaranda'' is a genus of 49 species of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas while cultivated around the world. The generic name is also used as the common name. The species ' ...
trees that turn the municipality into a purple shower when in bloom. The jacaranda trees usually bloom from October to November each year, depending on rainfall. The municipality slopes from west to east, with the highest elevation at the Ruvingaci River, up to the Kangaru School as well as from Njukiri forest in the west to Muthatari in the east, a radius of about in size. Embu has a small airstrip ( long), which is southeast of the heart of the town. Past Kigari Teachers College approximately 25 km from Embu Town is a small town known as Kianjokoma that is a center for other shopping centers like Miandari, Kathande, Kiriari, Irangi and others. This town is fast growing due to the situated Mungania Tea Factory and as well as a county hospital and a police line in the area. Other small towns in Embu are Kibugu, Karurumo, Rukuriri,
Mukuuri Mûkûûrî is an administrative Location and township in Runyenjes Division, in Embu County, Kenya, with a population of about 25,000 people. It is named for a large, strong Sycamore Fig Tree (Mûkûû in Kiembu. Scientific name: Ficus Sycomorus ...
, Kathageri, Kanja and Manyatta.


Climate


Religion

There are numerous Christian churches and ministries in Embu, including the Seventh Day Adventist, East African Pentecostal Churches Dallas, Gakwegori, Kigumo, Kanginga, Kathari, Karurumo, Kiritiri among others
Anglican Church of Kenya The Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) is a province of the Anglican Communion, and it is composed by 41 dioceses. The current Leader and Archbishop of Kenya is Jackson Ole Sapit. The Anglican Church of Kenya claims 5 million total members. Accordin ...
's St. Paul's Cathedral, the Presbyterian Church of East Africa's Blue Valley, PCEA, the national independent church of Africa, the African independent Pentecostal church of Africa, Majimbo, Kangaru Kathangariri, Kibugu, Kavutiri, Ndunduri, Itabua, Gichera, Makengi, Kirigiri and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Embu's Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral. The latter cathedral has a unique African-inspired design and is among the largest in Africa. Missions for Christ Ministries office and churches in Embu county. Churches under Missions for Christ Ministries includes Kevote Family Church, Embu town Family Church, Runyenjes Family Church, Kamugere Family Church and Kianjokoma Family Church. The national Independent church of Africa is located at Gakwegwori (Mwamba Imara), Kianjokoma, Kiriari, Kithunguriri, Kamugere, Mukuuri, Keria, Kibugu, and Kavutiri. Another Protestant church, the first encountered, on entering Embu from Kirinyaga county is that of the Kenya Assemblies of God (KAG). It is better known as the Eastern Gate assembly as it is also the first church encountered on crossing into Eastern Province from all the Provinces except North Eastern. Family Worship Church Inc is a Protestant Christian church founded in the early 1970s. It has the headquarters at Nembure and branches in Manyatta, Kithimu, Kiandundu, Gaikiro, Makengi and is in the process of starting a branch in Embu town.


Electoral subdivisions

Embu forms a
municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...
that has seven wards (Blue Valley, Itabua, Kamiu, Kangaru, Majengo, Matakari and Njukiri). All of them belong to Manyatta Constituency, which has a total of eleven wards. The remaining four are located within Embu County Council, the rural council of Embu.Electoral Commission of Kenya
''Registration centres by electoral area and constituency''


Notable residents

* Jeremiah J. M. Nyagah - former cabinet minister. *
Joseph Nyagah Joseph William Nthiga Nyagah (6 January 1948 – 11 December 2020) was a Kenyan politician and Minister of Cooperative Development and Marketing in Kenya's grand coalition government. Biography Nyagah was a member of the then Kenya African Natio ...
- son of Jeremiah Nyagah and former cabinet minister. *
Justin Muturi Justin Bedan Njoka Muturi (born 28 April 1956) is a former Attorney General of Kenya who served as the seventh Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya from 2013 to 2022. He is the first speaker to serve following the reestablishment of a bicam ...
- Former Speaker of the National Assembly and
Attorney General of Kenya The Attorney General of Kenya is the head of the Kenyan State Law Office, the principal legal adviser to the government of Kenya, and a member of the Cabinet (government), Cabinet. Dorcas Agik Oduor is the current and first woman Attorney-General ...
* Kithinji Kiragu - public sector management consultant; retired * Patrick Njiru -
Safari Rally The Safari Rally is an automobile rally held in Kenya. It was first held in 1953 as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The event was part of the World Rally Championship from 1973 until 2002, before returning in 2021. It is h ...
driver *
Cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal most commonly refers to * Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of three species in the family Cardinalidae ***Northern cardinal, ''Cardinalis cardinalis'', the common cardinal of ...
John Njue - Archbishop of Nairobi and former Bishop of Embu * Martin Nyaga Wambora - first Governor of Embu; former Runyenjes MP and chair of Kenya Airports Authority * Cecily Mutitu Mbarire - Second and current Embu Governor.


University education

* University of Embu * Embu College * Jeremiah Nyagah National Polytechnic * Kenyatta University Embu Campus


See also

*
Embu people The Embu or Aembu (sometimes called Waembu) are a Bantu people indigenous to Embu county . The region is situated on the southern slopes of Mount Kenya in the former Eastern province. To the West, Embu neighbours the Kikuyu, The Meru people ...
*
Embu County Embu County is a Counties of Kenya, county in the Mt Kenya region in Kenya. As of 2024 its estimated population is 608,599. The county borders Kirinyaga County, Kirinyaga to the west, Kitui County, Kitui to the east, Tharaka Nithi County, Tharak ...
* Rotary club of Embu * Rotaract club of Embu


References


External links


Embu University College



Embu Music


{{Authority control Populated places in Eastern Province (Kenya) County capitals in Kenya