Kirinyaga County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in the former Central Province of

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

. Its capital is

Kerugoya Kerugoya is the biggest town in Kirinyaga County. Kerugoya is located 10 kilometres east of Karatina and 40 kilometres west of Embu. It is situated in the former District of Kirinyaga. Travel directions by road from Nairobi, is through Thika roa ...

and its largest town is Wanguru. In 2019, the county had a population of 610,411 and an area of 1,478.1 km². The county is bordered to the east and south by

Embu County Embu County is a county of Kenya. The capital of Embu County and the former Eastern province headquarters, Embu is a large and largely metropolitan area with a population of 608,599 persons. The county borders Kirinyaga to the west, Kitui to ...

, to the south by a tiny part of

Machakos County Machakos County is one of the 47 counties of Kenya, which came into being because of the devolved system of governance occasioned by the 2010 constitution of Kenya. The country's first administrative headquarters are in Machakos Town, which is ...

, to the southwest by

Murang'a County Murang'a County is one of the counties of Kenya'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 Giku ...

and to the northwest by

Nyeri County Nyeri County is a county located in the central region of Kenya. Its capital and largest town is Nyeri. It has a population of 759,164 and an area of 2361 km2. It is currently under the leadership of H.E. Governor Mutahi Kahiga. Other gove ...

. Kirinyaga county lies between 1158 and 5199 meters above sea level; its highest point is the summit of

Mount Kenya Mount Kenya (Kikuyu: ''Kĩrĩnyaga'', Kamba, ''Ki Nyaa'') is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second-highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian (), Nelion () and Point Lenana (). Mount Kenya is locat ...

. Since the 2010 Constitution Kirinyaga County was led by Governor from 2013-2017 then Anne Waiguru who was elected for her first term in 2017 and re-elected in the 2022 General Elections. She was also elected the chairperson of the Council of Governors (CoG) which she contested against Kajiado County Governor

Joseph Ole Lenku Joseph Jama Ole Lenku (born 20 October 1970) is a Kenyan politician who was the second Governor of Kajiado County after winning in the Kenyan General Elections on 8 August 2017 and lost his seat in the 2022 General elections held on 8 August. ...

History

Kirinyaga District was created in 1963 out of the western part of Embu District. Kerugoya town was the district headquarters. The district commissioner was based in this town. In 2007, Kirinyaga District was divided into four new districts: *

Kirinyaga Central Kirinyaga may refer to: * ''Kirinyaga'' (novel), by Mike Resnick * "Kirinyaga" (short story), a 1988 short story by Mike Resnick * Kirinyaga County, Kenya * Kirinyaga University * Mount Kenya Mount Kenya (Kikuyu: ''Kĩrĩnyaga'', Kamba, ''Ki ...

with its administrative centre at

* Kirinyaga East with its administrative centre at

Kianyaga Kianyaga is a small town in Kenya's Central Province. It is the district headquarters for the Kirinyaga East district, in Central Province. Kianyaga once used to be the divisional headquarters for Gichugu Gichugu is a settlement in Kenya ...

* Kirinyaga South with its administrative centre at Wanguru *

Kirinyaga West Kirinyaga may refer to: * ''Kirinyaga'' (novel), by Mike Resnick * "Kirinyaga" (short story), a 1988 short story by Mike Resnick * Kirinyaga County, Kenya * Kirinyaga University * Mount Kenya Mount Kenya (Kikuyu: ''Kĩrĩnyaga'', Kamba, ''Ki ...

with its administrative centre at

Baricho Baricho is a settlement in Kenya's Kilifi County Kilifi County was formed in 2010 as a result of a merger of Kilifi District and Malindi District, Kenya. Its capital is Kilifi and its largest town is Malindi. Kilifi county is one of the f ...

Administration

Since April 2013, the County Government of Kirinyaga administers all of Kirinyaga County. Formerly, The County Council of Kirinyaga administered all of Kirinyaga County, except the area that was administered by the Municipal Council of Kerugoya /Kutus and the Town Council of Sagana-Kagio. In April 2020, attempts by Deputy President

William Ruto William Kipchirchir Samoei Arap Ruto (born 21 December 1966) is a Kenyan politician who is serving as the fifth and current president of Kenya since 13 September 2022. Prior to becoming president, he served as the 11th deputy president of Ken ...

's allies to impeach Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru as part of a wider

Jubilee Party The Jubilee Party of Kenya was the ruling political party of the Republic of Kenya from 2016 until 13 September 2022. The party was founded on 8 September 2016, following the merger of 11 smaller parties. During the 2017 election, the Jubilee ...

confrontation between Ruto and President

Uhuru Kenyatta Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta (born 26 October 1961) is a Kenyan politician who served as the fourth president of Kenya from 2013 to 2022. Kenyatta was chosen by Daniel Arap Moi as his preferred successor, but Kenyatta was defeated by opposition le ...

were reported by

Africa Confidential ''Africa Confidential'' is a fortnightly newsletter covering politics and economics in Africa. It was established in 1960 and is owned by the British company Asempa Limited. Founded by a group of six individuals under the banner of Miramoor Publ ...

Subdivisions

Kirinyaga District is divided as follows:

Electoral constituencies

The county has four constituencies: *

Mwea Constituency Mwea Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of four constituencies in Kirinyaga County Kirinyaga County is a county in the former Central Province of Kenya. Its capital is Kerugoya and its largest town is Wanguru. In 201 ...

Gichugu Constituency Gichugu Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of four constituencies in Kirinyaga County Kirinyaga County is a county in the former Central Province of Kenya. Its capital is Kerugoya and its largest town is Wanguru. In ...

* Ndia Constituency *

Kirinyaga Central Constituency Kirinyaga Central Constituency, formerly known as Kerugoya/Kutus Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of four constituencies in Kirinyaga County Kirinyaga County is a county in the former Central Province of Kenya. Its ...

Population

Central Kenya Region

Urbanisation

Source
OpenDataKenya

Wealth/Poverty Level

Source
OpenDataKenyaWorldbank

Economy

Like most counties in the Mt. Kenya region, agriculture is the main economic activity in Kirinyaga County. The county is best known for rice production at the Mwea Irrigation Scheme. Coffee and tea are also grown in the cooler areas of Ndia, Gichugu, and Kirinyaga Central constituencies. 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 small scale. There is also fishing at Sagana along the River Sagana. The business sector is also growing very fast. This has seen the growth of Markets such as Kagio Market. Kagio market serves Murang'a and Kirinyaga counties traders. In 2013 Kirinyaga was ranked the second Richest County.

Villages and settlements

* Difatha * Kibingoti * Kibirigwi * Thumaitay *

Mbiri Mbiri is a settlement in Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , l ...

* Kiamutugu * Muthigi-ini * Kairini * (mukangu * Kianjege East and Kianjege West * Gathoge * Mururi * Kianjiru *

Kimbimbi Kimbimbi is a small town in Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = ...

Part of Makutano Part, parts or PART may refer to: People *Armi Pärt (born 1991), Estonian handballer *Arvo Pärt (born 1935), Estonian classical composer *Brian Part (born 1962), American child actor *Dealtry Charles Part (1882–1961), sheriff (1926–1927) an ...

* kathangarari
Ngaru
*Kaitheri *Kiaritha *Kerugoya town Gathambi Ndiriti Kandegwa Muragara, *

Gathigiriri Gathigiriri is a settlement in Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates ...

South Ngariama( Mumbu, Kandawa, Itangi,)

References

{{Authority control Counties of Kenya