Central Province (Kenya)

The Central Province (Swahili: Kati, Gikuyu: Gichigo gia Gatagati) was a region in central Kenya until 2013, when Kenya's provinces were replaced by a system of counties. It covered an area of 11,449 km2 (4,420 sq mi) and was located to the north of Nairobi and west of Mount Kenya (see maps). The province had 4,383,743[1] inhabitants according to the 2009 census. The provincial headquarters was Nyeri.

Central Province
Mkoa wa Kati
Former Province
Location in Kenya
Location in Kenya
Coordinates: 0°45′S 37°0′E
Country Kenya
No. of Counties:5
CapitalNyeri
Area
 • Total13,199 km2 (5,096 sq mi)
Population
 (2009)
 • Total4,383,743
 • Density330/km2 (860/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+3 (EAT)
Central Province of Kenya surrounded the capital, Nyeri, and included the slopes of Mount Kenya (click to enlarge map).

Central Province was the ancestral home of the Gikuyu people.[2]

Climate

The climate of Central Province is generally cooler than that of the rest of Kenya, due to the region's higher altitude. Rainfall is fairly reliable, falling in two seasons, one from early March to May (the long rains) and a second during October and November (the short rains).

General information

Central Province is a key producer of coffee, one of Kenya's key exports. Much of Kenya's dairy industry is also based in this province. The provincial headquarters were in Nyeri. Central Province was divided into seven districts (wilaya'at) until 2007:[3]

District PopulationCapital
Nyandarua   479,902Ol Kalou*
Nyeri 661,156Nyeri
Kirinyaga 457,105Kerugoya
Maragua 387,969Maragua
Murang'a 348,304Murang'a
Thika 645,713Thika
Kiambu 744,010Kiambu
* former capital: Nyahururu

Counties
CodeCountyFormer ProvinceArea (km2)Population
Census 2009		Capital
18NyandaruaCentral3,107.7596,268Ol Kalou
19NyeriCentral2,361.0693,558Nyeri
20KirinyagaCentral1,205.4528,054Kerugoya / Kutus
21Murang'aCentral2,325.8942,581Murang'a
22KiambuCentral2,449.21,623,282Kiambu
Totals11,449.14,383,743-

Districts after 2007

Several new districts (declared sub-counties in 2013) were created in 2007:[3]

District Capital
GatangaGatanga
GatunduGatundu
Gatundu NorthKamwangi
GithunguriGithunguri
KabeteKikuyu
KandaraKandara
Kiambu East (Kiambaa)Kiambu
Kiambu WestLimuru
Kieni EastChaka
Kieni WestMweiga
KigumoKigumo
KinangopEngineer
Kirinyaga CentralKerugoya
Kirinyaga EastKianyaga
Kirinyaga SouthWanguru
Kirinyaga WestBaricho
LariLari
MaraguaMaragua
MathioyaKiria-ini
Mathira EastKaratina
Mathira WestKaiyaba
MiranginiMirangini
MukurweiniMukurweini
Murang'a NorthMurang'a
Murang'a SouthKenol
Nyandarua CentralOl Kalou
Nyandarua NorthNdaragwa
Nyandarua SouthNjambini
Nyandarua WestOl Jororok
Nyeri CentralNyeri
Nyeri SouthOthaya
RuiruRuiru
TetuWamagana
Thika EastGatuanyaga
Thika WestThika

History

The province is inhabited by the Kikuyu speaking community almost exclusively.[4][5] They are part of the Kenya Eastern Bantu.

During Kenya's colonization by the British, much of the province was regarded as part of the 'White Highlands', for the exclusive use of the European community. Therefore, it saw political activity from the local communities who felt that they had an ancestral right to the land. This tension culminated in the 1950s with the Mau Mau rebellion; it saw the region placed under a state of emergency and the arrest of many prominent political leaders.

Villages and settlements (A-J)

Villages and settlements (K)

Villages and settlements (L-Z)

References
  1. "Kenya Census 2009" (PDF). Kenya Bureau of Statistics. August 28, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 10, 2013. Retrieved May 22, 2011.
  2. edited by/laroussi amri (2014). Gender and Citizenship in the Global Age. oxford: codesria. p. 105. ISBN 9782869785892. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  3. Ministry of State for Provincial Administration and National Security Archived 2009-03-05 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Childress, Sarah (2008-01-30). "Violence in Kenya Exposes Tribes' Widening Wealth Gap". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2020-06-05.
  5. Sabar, Galia (2001). Church, State and Society in Kenya: From Mediation to Opposition (1st ed.). Routledge. p. 69. ISBN 0714650773.
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