Murang'a Town
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Murang'a is a town in
Murang'a County Murang'a County is one of the counties of Kenya's former Central Province (Kenya), Central Province. Its largest town and capital is Murang'a, which was referred to as Fort Hall during the colonial era. The county is inhabited mainly by, and i ...
of
Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
. It is the administrative headquarters of
Murang'a County Murang'a County is one of the counties of Kenya's former Central Province (Kenya), Central Province. Its largest town and capital is Murang'a, which was referred to as Fort Hall during the colonial era. The county is inhabited mainly by, and i ...
and is mainly inhabited by the
Kikuyu Kikuyu or Gikuyu (Gĩkũyũ) mostly refers to an ethnic group in Kenya or its associated language. It may also refer to: *Kikuyu people, a majority ethnic group in Kenya * Kikuyu language, the language of Kikuyu people *Kikuyu, Kenya, a town in Cen ...
community. Before the Kenyan independence in 1963, the town was known as Fort Hall. Fort Hall was originally a British colonial trading post and administrative centre established in the early 1900s during the colonial period in Kenya. It was named after a British colonial administrator Francis George Hall. The fort served as a strategic military and administrative hub in the region. Over time, the settlement around the fort grew into a town. After independence, Fort Hall was renamed Murang'a to reflect local heritage and a move away from colonial names. The area played a significant role in Kenya’s struggle for independence, being part of the Central Kenya region where the Mau Mau uprising was strong. . According to the 2019 census, the town had a population of about 110,000.


Overview

Murang'a is located between
Nyeri Nyeri is a town situated in the Central Highlands of Kenya. It is the county headquarters of Nyeri County and was the central administrative headquarters of the country's former Central Province (Kenya), Central Province. The town is situated a ...
and
Thika Thika () is an industrial town and commerce hub in Kiambu County, Kenya, lying on the A2 road , northeast of Nairobi, near the confluence of the Thika and Chania Rivers. Although Thika town is administratively in Kiambu County, the greater ...
. The town of
Maragua Maragua is a town in the Muranga County, Kenya. It was previously the capital of the former Maragua District. The town is located along Thika– Sagana road just 10 km south of Murang'a. In 1999, Maragua town had an urban population of 4,2 ...
is located 10 kilometres south of Murang'a while
Sagana Sagana is a small industrial town in Kirinyaga District, Kenya. It is along the Nairobi-Nyeri Nyeri is a town situated in the Central Highlands of Kenya. It is the county headquarters of Nyeri County and was the central administrative he ...
town is 15 kilometres northeast. It lies on a latitude of -0.7167 (0° 43’ South) and longitude of 37.1500 (37° 8’ East) The town is low, hilly, small but picturesque with an altitude of between 4120 ft (1255 metres) to 4970 ft (1515 metres) above sea level. As a result of the varying altitudes, Murang'a can get quite cold from May to mid-August, and can experience hails. To the west of the town are the rolling Kikuyu farmlands that extend into the distance. Murang'a is a fast-growing town that attracts traders and farmers from the neighbouring districts. It has banks, petrol stations, a post office, lodges, nightclubs playing the latest local and Western music, restaurants serving local and exotic dishes, supermarkets, dry cleaners, and lively marketplaces. It also has a relatively busy bus and
matatu In Kenya, matatu or matatus (known as mathree in Sheng) are privately owned minibuses used as share taxis. Often decorated, many ''matatu'' feature portraits of famous people or slogans and sayings. Likewise, the music they play is also aimed ...
transportation terminal. A subcounty general hospital is located in the northern corner of the town. The town is accessible from
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 ...
by Thika-Murang'a road and from
Nyeri Nyeri is a town situated in the Central Highlands of Kenya. It is the county headquarters of Nyeri County and was the central administrative headquarters of the country's former Central Province (Kenya), Central Province. The town is situated a ...
.Murang'a has a rich musical heritage, particularly in Kikuyu Benga music, with several prominent artists originating from the region. Odi Wa Muranga has been known for his energetic productions and is featured in various music videos and mixes,.Also Lets dont forget Selektar King Rebel (Peter Kamau Waithera)one of the Reggae Dj in Kenya.Murang'a has a rich musical heritage, particularly in Kikuyu Benga music, with several prominent artists originating from the region. Some notable musicians from Murang'a include Joseph Kamaru, the late Queen Jane,John De Matthew, Daniel Kamau "DK",Joyce Wamama,Shiru ka Muranga and Simon Kihara,among others who have been influential figures in the Kikuyu music scene. Murang'a County got its first governor in the year 2013 when H.E Mwangi Iria was elected on a TNA ticket to be the first constitutional governor.


Climate

Murang'a has a tropical climate classified as Aw (tropical savanna climate), according to Köppen and Geiger, with a distinct dry winter season from June to August. During the winter season, there is a significant decrease in precipitation levels as compared to the summer months. The mean annual temperature amounts to 19.7 °C , 67.4 °F with an annual precipitation of approximately 996 mm , 39.2 inches. The region of Murang'a is characterised by a temperate climate, and the summer season presents some challenges in terms of precise categorisation. The driest month is February, with 21 mm , 0.8 inch of rainfall. The month of April experiences the highest amount of precipitation, with an average value of 213 mm , 8.4 inches.


See also

*
Railway stations in Kenya Railway stations in Kenya include: Maps * UN Map * UNHCR Atlas Map * Prondis Map * Railway Gazette International June 2012, p31 * KRC Map Towns served by metre gauge railways * Mombasa - Indian Ocean port * Changamwe * Miritini * Mazeras ...
*
Murang'a High School Murang'a High School also known as' Muhae' is a Catholic church sponsored boys boarding high school located in Murang'a town, Kenya. It has over 1000 students. It was started in 1964 as a simple day school and has grown over the years. In 2014 it ...


References

Murang'a County Populated places in Central Province (Kenya) County capitals in Kenya {{Kenya-geo-stub