Kirinyaga County is a county in the former Central Province of Kenya. Its capital is Kerugoya 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, to the south by a tiny part of Machakos County, to the southwest by Murang’a County and to the northwest by Nyeri County.
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 road past Thika, Kenol and Makuyu (along the Thika Road). The road leads through Makutano until Sagana town, where a road branches off the East towards Kagio town up to Kirinyaga University branching North towards the town.
You can also drive through the Plains of Mwea branching east at Makutano, famous for the largest rice irrigation scheme in Eastern Africa, passing numerous communes inhabited by the Kikuyu, majority of whom practise Subsistence farming.
Kerugoya town mostly serves as an urban area to the inhabitants of Kangaita, Kimunye, Kagumo and Karia.
Kirinyaga county lies between 1158 and 5199 metres above sea level; its highest point is the summit of Mount Kenya.
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 with its administrative centre at Kerugoya
- Kirinyaga East with its administrative centre at Kianyaga
- Kirinyaga South with its administrative centre at Wanguru
- Kirinyaga West with its administrative centre at Baricho.
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.[2]
In April 2020, attempts by Deputy President William Ruto‘s allies to impeach Kiriyaga Governor Anne Waiguru as part of a wider Jubilee Party confrontation between Ruto and President Uhuru Kenyatta were reported by Africa Confidential.
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: |
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] |
Central Kenya Region
Urbanisation
| County | Urbanisation in Central Kenya (Percent) |
|---|---|
| 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
Wealth/Poverty Level
| County | Poverty Level in Central Kenya (Percent) |
|---|---|
| Kirinyaga County | 25.2 |
| 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
Animal husbandry in Kirinyaga County
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 scarcity of land and high population, most agriculture is done in 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.[6]
Villages and settlements
- Difatha
- Kibingoti
- Kibirigwi
- Thumaita
- Mbiri
- Kiamutugu
- Muthigi-ini
- Kairini
- (mukangu
- Kianjege East and Kianjege West
- Gathoge
- Mururi
- Kianjiru
- Kimbimbi
- Part of Makutano
- kathangarari
Gathambi Ndiriti Kandegwa Muragara
