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Murang'a County is one of the
counties of Kenya The Counties of Kenya ( sw, Kaunti za Kenya) are geographical units envisioned by the 2010 Constitution of Kenya as the new units of devolved government that replaced the previous provincial system. The establishment and executive powers of ...
's former Central Province. Its largest town and capital is Murang'a, formerly referred to as Fort Hall during the colonial era. It is inhabited mainly by and is considered the home of the Gikuyu, the largest ethnic group in Kenya. The county has a population of 1,056,640 based on the 2019 census.


History

When
missionaries A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...
first came to Kenya, they found the Coast Region already inhabited by
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
, who had taken the coast, strategic for trade, from Arab powers in the 16th century. The missionaries ventured into Kenya's rugged interior and Murang'a was one of the first places they settled. When the British set up the
East African Protectorate East Africa Protectorate (also known as British East Africa) was an area in the African Great Lakes occupying roughly the same terrain as present-day Kenya from the Indian Ocean inland to the border with Uganda in the west. Controlled by Britai ...
in 1895, their first administrative post (Fort Smith) was located in Murang'a. One of the main highlights of Murang'a's history, however, is the
Mau Mau uprising The Mau Mau rebellion (1952–1960), also known as the Mau Mau uprising, Mau Mau revolt or Kenya Emergency, was a war in the British Kenya Colony (1920–1963) between the Kenya Land and Freedom Army (KLFA), also known as the ''Mau Mau'', an ...
that was led by the Agikuyu community who consider Murang'a their ancestral origin. Murang'a is thus considered, at least by some, the birthplace of the Kenyan independence movement. Missionaries had initially been welcomed by Karuri Wagakure who was the chief of Tuthu. They set up the first mission church in Kenya at Murang'a. Murang'a is also the source of Rivers Maragua, which originates from the heart of the
Aberdare Range The Aberdare Range (formerly the Sattima Range, Kikuyu: ''Nyandarua'') is a 160 km (100 mile) long mountain range of upland, north of Kenya's capital Nairobi with an average elevation of . It straddles across the counties of Nyandarua, Nye ...
, Mathioya, Kayahwe, Irati and Muriurio among others. Additionally, Murang'a is known for its fertile farming soil and good climate. Food crops such as maize, beans, sweet potatoes, arrow roots, pumpkins and bananas are grown in the region. Tea and coffee are the county's main cash crops.


County Government

The Constitution of
Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...
(2010) created 47 regional governments with the formerly larger Murang'a district as a county. The County Government has two arms, and these are; the County Assembly and the County Executive. .


Executive

From 2013–2022, the Executive arm was headed by Hon.
Mwangi wa Iria H.E. Mwangi Wa Iria (Born 28 August 1964) is the immediate former Governor of Murang'a County in Kenya. He is also the former vice chairman of the Council of Governors of Kenya, having been elected in January 2019. He was elected on the 4 Marc ...
, who was deputized by Hon. Maina Kamau in his second term. During his second and final term as the governor, Mwangi wa Iria was assisted by a team of ministerial members referred to as County Executive Committee (CEC), which had ten other members. The individuals and their portfolios included: Following the end of the two terms of governorship by
Mwangi wa Iria H.E. Mwangi Wa Iria (Born 28 August 1964) is the immediate former Governor of Murang'a County in Kenya. He is also the former vice chairman of the Council of Governors of Kenya, having been elected in January 2019. He was elected on the 4 Marc ...
as stipulated by the Kenyan Law, Murang'a County voters voted in Dr. Francis Irungu Kang’ata as their second Governor in August 2022 general elections. Governor Francis Irungu took Oath of Office on 25 August 2022, together with his deputy
Stephen Mburu Munania Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; ...
, who became the third Deputy Governor of Murang'a County.


County Assembly

Murang’a County Assembly is located in Murang’a town along Kiria-ini Road. The Assembly is housed in the building formerly occupied by the Municipal Council of Murang’a. Murang’a County has 35 MCAs, a speaker and 16 nominated members. The position of the Speaker of the Assembly was formerly held by Hon. Leonard Nduati, deputized by Hon. Moses Gachui. Johnson Mukuha was voted in as the new Speaker in September 2022 by the majority of Members of County Assembly (MCAs). The Assembly is administratively managed by Clerk to the Assembly, a post formerly occupied by Peter Ndegwa Mbue. The current Clerk to the Assembly is Mr. Kuria Thuita.


Population


Learning Institutions

Currently, there is only one public university in the county, known as Murang’a University of Technology (MUT). MUT was established in September 2011 via Murang’a University College order legal notice No. 129 September 2011 as a constituent College of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. MUT is the successor of Murang’a University College and Murang'a College of Technology. The university currently operates under the provision of the Universities Act 2012 CAP 210 B of the laws of Kenya. The university is located 1.5 km from Murang'a town, 85 km North East of
Nairobi Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper ha ...
, 70 km South East of
Nyeri Nyeri is a town situated in the Central Highlands of Kenya. It is the county headquarters of Nyeri County. The town was the central administrative headquarters of the country's former Central Province. Following the dissolution of the former pr ...
and 50 km South West of Embu. There is also Kenya Medical Training College Murang’a Campus (KMTC). This Medical Training College is situated in Murang’a town, approximately 1 km from the town center. Having started in 1950s as a training Centre for Mid-wives, the college morphed into training nurses and gradually started offering Certificate and Diploma Courses in Nursing and Mental Health Psychiatry. Another public institution is the Michuki Technical Training Institute which is located near Karugia Shopping Centre.


County subdivisions

The county has seven constituencies: *
Kangema Constituency Kangema Constituency is an electoral constituency in Muranga County, Kenya. It encompasses Kangema township which is the headquarters of the newly created Murang'a North District. Murang'a North is a heavily populated district of the Central Pro ...
*
Kiharu Constituency Kiharu Constituency( Visit our Official website:''https://kiharuconstituency21.web.app/'' )is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of seven constituencies of Muranga County. The Murang'a town is located within this constituency. Between ...
*
Mathioya Constituency Mathioya Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of seven constituencies of Muranga County Murang'a County is one of the counties of Kenya's former Central Province. Its largest town and capital is Murang'a, formerly re ...
*
Kigumo Constituency Kigumo Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of the seven districts of Muranga County. It was previously one of three constituencies in the former Maragua District Maragua District was a former district of Kenya, located i ...
*
Kandara Constituency Kandara Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of seven constituencies in Muranga County Murang'a County is one of the counties of Kenya's former Central Province. Its largest town and capital is Murang'a, formerly ref ...
*
Maragwa Constituency Maragua Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of seven constituencies in Muranga County Murang'a County is one of the counties of Kenya's former Central Province. Its largest town and capital is Murang'a, formerly ref ...
*
Gatanga Constituency Gatanga Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of seven constituencies in Muranga County. The constituency has seven wards, all of them are within Murang'a County council. The constituency was established for the 1988 electio ...
The county has several towns: * Kangare * Kirwara * Kenol * Maragwa *
Kangema Kangema is a settlement in Muranga County, Kenya. It is the birthplace of James Mwangi, the Group Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of the Equity Group Holdings Limited, the banking conglomerate with the largest customer base on ...
*
Kiriani Kiria-ini is a settlement in Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = ...


Central Kenya Region


Urbanisation


Wealth/Poverty Level

Cash crops in Murang'a county: *Tea *Coffee


Notable people

*
Kenneth Matiba Kenneth Stanley Njindo Matiba (1 June 1932 – 15 April 2018) was a Kenyan politician and an activist for democracy. He came in at second place in the 1992 presidential election. In November 2007, he announced that he would stand as a president ...
– Politician, First Kenyan Opposition Leader, Business Man, civil servant *
Charles Rubia Charles Wanyoike Rubia (1923 – 23 December 2019) was the first native African mayor of Nairobi. He later joined Parliament, where he rose to the cabinet. In 1990, together with Hon. Kenneth Matiba, Rubia led the calls for multi-party democracy ...
– First African Mayor of Nairobi *
Mwangi wa Iria H.E. Mwangi Wa Iria (Born 28 August 1964) is the immediate former Governor of Murang'a County in Kenya. He is also the former vice chairman of the Council of Governors of Kenya, having been elected in January 2019. He was elected on the 4 Marc ...
– Former Governor * Irungu Kan'gata – Current Governor * Kembi Gitura – Former Senator Murang'a County *
Peter Kenneth Peter Kenneth (born 27 November 1965) is a Kenyan politician. He hails from Kirwara Sub-location of Gatanga Constituency in Murang'a County, Kenya. Early life and career Peter Kenneth attended Bahati Uhuru Primary School (CPE) and later jo ...
– Presidential candidate 2013 elections, Former Assistant Minister and Member of Parliament * Sabina Wanjiru Chege – Chairperson of Health Committee in National Assembly, MP, Woman Representative Murang'a County * Joseph Kamaru – Renowned Benga Musician *
John Njoroge Michuki John Njoroge Michuki (1 December 1932 – 21 February 2012) was a Kenyan politician and businessman. He was born at Muguru, village, Iyego Location, Kangema Division in Murang’a District. He was educated in Kenya and abroad. Michuki emerged a ...
– Former Cabinet Minister *
Elias Mbau Elias Peter Mbau (born January 1, 1961) is a Kenyan politician. He belongs to the Party of National Unity and was elected to represent the Maragwa Constituency in the National Assembly of Kenya since the 2007 Kenyan parliamentary election Gen ...
– Former MP * Ndindi Nyoro – Current MP Kiharu * Clement Muchiri Wambugu – Former MP, Mathioya Constituency *
James Mwangi James Mwangi (born 1962) is a Kenyan accountant, career banker, businessman, and entrepreneur. He is the current Group Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of Equity Group Holdings Plc, the banking conglomerate with one of the ...
– Entrepreneur, Businessman and Current C.E.O of Equity Bank *
Peter Munga Peter Kahara Munga is a businessman and entrepreneur in Kenya, the largest economy in the East African Community. He is the immediate past group chair of the Equity Bank Group, the largest bank holding company on the African continent, by custome ...
– Businessman, Entrepreneur *
Jimnah Mbaru Local elections were held in Nairobi County to elect a Governor and County Assembly on 4 March 2013. Under the new Constitution of Kenya, constitution, which was passed in a 2010 Kenyan constitutional referendum, 2010 referendum, the 2013 Kenyan ...
– Politician, Businessman, Entrepreneur *
Alice Muthoni Wahome Hon.Alice Muthoni Wahome (born April 28, 1959) is a Kenyan politician and current Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation. Wahome was the elected as Member of Parliament for the Kandara Constituency in the March 2013 general election ...
– Current MP Kandara *
Wangu wa Makeri Wangũ wa Makeri (c. 1856–1915 or 1936) was a Kikuyu tribal chief, known as a headman, during the British Colonial period in Kenya. She was the only female Kikuyu headman during the period, who later resigned following a scandal in which she enga ...
– A woman colonial chief *
Peter Kagwanja Peter Kagwanja (born August 8, 1963 in Murang’a County, Central Kenya) is a Kenyan intellectual, adviser, reform strategist and policy thinker on governance, security and African affairs. From the early 1990s, Kagwanja was associated with Ken ...
– A Scholar, Presidential Adviser * Jamleck Kamau – Former Kigumo MP


See also

*
Kikuyu people The Kikuyu (also ''Agĩkũyũ/Gĩkũyũ'') are a Bantu ethnic group native to Central Kenya. At a population of 8,148,668 as of 2019, they account for 17.13% of the total population of Kenya, making them Kenya's largest ethnic group. The te ...
*
Dedan Kimathi Dedan Kimathi Waciuri (31 October 1920 – 18 February 1957), born ''Kimathi wa Waciuri'' in what was then British Kenya, was the senior military and spiritual leader of the Mau Mau Uprising. Widely regarded as a revolutionary leader, he led th ...
* Jomo Kenyatta * Kiriaini


References


External links


Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs – Kenya AdminLevels 1-4
{{Authority control Counties of Kenya