Embu is a city located approximately northeast 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 ...

towards

Mount Kenya Mount Kenya (Kikuyu language, Kikuyu: ''Kĩrĩnyaga'', Kamba language, Kamba, ''Ki Nyaa'') is the highest mountain in Kenya and the Highest mountain peaks of Africa, second-highest in Africa, after Mount Kilimanjaro, Kilimanjaro. The highest pea ...

. Embu served as the provincial capital of the former Eastern Province and currently serves as the headquarters of the Eastern Region in Kenya. It is also the county headquarters of

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 ...

. Located on the south-eastern foothills of

, the Municipality of Embu had a population of 204,979 in 2019 census. Embu is also the 8th Largest Municipality in Kenya.Embu municipality has been ranked as the fastest growing municipality Outside municipalities within Nairobi.It is the commercial hub of the Central Eastern part of Kenya and provides an avenue for trade, tourism and highway transit between the national capital and the Northern Frontier.

History

Embu town is a major trading centre in Eastern Kenya. For a long time, it was the main economic centre for the

Embu Embu may refer to: Places ; in Brazil * Embu das Artes * Embu-Guaçu ; in Kenya * Embu, Kenya * Embu County Other *Embu people of Kenya *Embu language Embu, also known as Kîembu, is a Bantu language of Kenya. It is spoken by the Embu peopl ...

Mbeere The Mbeere or Ambeere people are a Bantu ethnic group inhabiting the former Mbeere District in the now-defunct Eastern Province of Kenya. According to the 2019 Kenya National census, there are 195,250 Ambeere who inhabit an area of 2,093 km ...

Meru Meru may refer to: Geography Kenya * Meru, Kenya, a city in Meru County, Kenya ** Meru County, created by the merger of *** Meru Central District *** Meru North District *** Meru South District * Meru National Park, a Kenyan wildlife park Tanz ...

and Kamba communities as well as other communities from central Kenya. Mbeere was carved out of the former Embu district in the 1990s and Siakago town, about east of Embu town, was made its headquarters. Origins of Embu people are cited from North West Africa. They moved south to Congo. Then they later moved Eastward to the coast of Kenya via Tanganyika. It is in Tanganyika that there were intermarriages with both natives and migrants from farther south (mostly Bantus). Due to many circumstances they moved North towards Meru leaving their relatives, the Gikuyu at Ithanga. They then crossed Igambang'ombe ford. They settled at Gikuuri near Maranga hills. They had come from Igembe and came to Tharaka where they also settled. They left Tharaka possibly due to famines and moved to the current Embu. It is believed as they moved towards the slopes of Mt Kenya, they encountered pygmy tribes such as the Gumba and the Zimba in the forest; some of whom were cannibalistic. They are cultivators. They planted crops like sorghum, millet and sweet potatoes. Today they have cash crops like coffee, tea, miraa and macadamia, among others.

Geography

The Municipality of Embu has an elevation of , and is itself located on the foothills of

. It was the provincial headquarters of the defunct Eastern province, and is currently the Embu County Headquarters, hosting major public offices and institutions, including Embu Provincial General Hospital. The area around the Municipality of Embu has conducive altitude for

endurance training Endurance training is the act of exercising to increase endurance. The term endurance training generally refers to training the aerobic system as opposed to the anaerobic system. The need for endurance in sports is often predicated as the need ...

by athletes. As such, Kenyan athletes use the altitude and climate advantage of Embu for training, with specialised facilities at Kigari Teachers' Training College, about outside Embu Town. The Municipality of Embu, Kenya is known for its jacaranda trees that literally turn the municipality into a purple shower when in bloom. The Jacaranda trees usually bloom in October–November each year, depending on the rainfall. The Municipality slopes from west to east, with the highest elevation at the Ruvingaci River, up to the Kangaru School as well as from Njukiri forest in the west to Muthatari in the east, a radius of about in size. Embu has a small airstrip ( long), which is southeast of the heart of the town. Way past Kigari Teachers College approximately 25 km from Embu Town is a small town known as Kianjokoma that is a centre for other shopping centres like Miandari, Kathande, Kiriari, Irangi and others; This town is fast growing due to the situated Tea factory - Mungania Tea Factory and now a County Hospital as well as a police line in the area. Other small towns in Embu are Kibugu, Karurumo, Rukuriri, Mukuuri, Kathageri, Kanja and Manyatta.

Climate

Religion

There are numerous Christian churches and ministries in Embu, including the Seventh Day Adventist, East African Pentecostal Churches Dallas, Gakwegori, Kigumo, Kanginga, Kathari, Karurumo, Kiritiri among others

Anglican Church of Kenya The Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) is a province of the Anglican Communion, and it is composed by 41 dioceses. The current Primate and Archbishop of Kenya is Jackson Ole Sapit. The Anglican Church of Kenya claims 5 million total members. Accordi ...

St. Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in London and is the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London. It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London and is a Gra ...

, the Presbyterian Church of East Africa's Blue Valley, PCEA, the national independent church of Africa, the African independent Pentecostal church of Africa, Majimbo, Kangaru Kathangariri, Kibugu, Kavutiri, Ndunduri, Itabua, Gichera, Makengi, Kirigiri and the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Embu Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

's Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral. The latter cathedral has a unique African-inspired design and is among the largest in Africa. Missions for Christ Ministries office and churches in Embu county. Churches under Missions for Christ Ministries includes Kevote Family Church, Embu town Family Church, Runyenjes Family Church, Kamugere Family Church and Kianjokoma Family Church. The national Independent church of Africa is located at Gakwegwori (Mwamba Imara), Kianjokoma, Kiriari, Kithunguriri, Kamugere, Mukuuri, Keria, Kibugu, and Kavutiri. Another Protestant church, the first encountered, on entering Embu from Kirinyaga county is that of the Kenya Assemblies of God (KAG). It is better known as the Eastern Gate assembly as it is also the first church encountered on crossing into Eastern Province from all the Provinces except North Eastern. Family Worship Church Inc is a Protestant Christian church founded in the early 1970s. It has the headquarters at Nembure and branches in Manyatta, Kithimu, Kiandundu, Gaikiro, Makengi and is in the process of starting a branch in Embu town.

Electoral subdivisions

Embu forms a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...

that has seven wards (Blue Valley, Itabua, Kamiu, Kangaru, Majengo, Matakari and Njukiri). All of them belong to Manyatta Constituency, which has a total of eleven wards. The remaining four are located within Embu County Council, the rural council of Embu.Electoral Commission of Kenya
''Registration centres by electoral area and constituency''

Notable residents

* Jeremiah Nyagah - former cabinet minister. * Joseph Nyagah - son of Jeremiah Nyagah and former cabinet minister. * Norman Nyagah - son of Jeremiah Nyagah and former Govt chief whip and Member of Parliament. * Nahashon Nyagah - son of Jeremiah Nyagah and former governor of the central bank of kenya. * Mary Nyagah Khimulu - daughter of Jeremiah Nyagah and former ambassador to UNEP *

Anne Nyaga Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie. Anne is sometimes used as a male name in t ...

- granddaughter to Jeremiah Nyagah and Cabinet assistant secretary for Agriculture. *

Justin Muturi Justin Bedan Njoka Muturi (popularly known as JB) (born 28 April 1956) is the Current Attorney General of Kenya who also served as the seventh Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya, in office from 2013-2022. He is the first Speaker to serve f ...

- Speaker of the National Assembly * Kithinji Kiragu - public sector management consultant; retired *

Patrick Njiru Patrick Njiru (born 12 July 1957) is a former Kenyan rally driver with Subaru World Rally Team from 1983 to 2002. He has retired from competitive racing but often takes part in organizing and competing in charity Charity may refer to: Giving * ...

- safari rally driver in east Africa *

Cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **'' Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **'' Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, t ...

John Njue John Njue (born 1944) is a Kenyan Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was the fourth Archbishop of Nairobi from 2007 to 2021. He previously served as Coadjutor Archbishop of Nyeri from 2002 to 2007 and Bishop of Embu from 1986 to 2002. He was ...

- Archbishop of Nairobi and former Bishop of Embu * Martin Nyaga Wambora - first Governor of Embu; former Runyenjes MP and chair of Kenya Airports Authority * Dan K Mukundi - Medical Microbiologist From JKUAT and ENTERPRENURE. * Steven Njeru Muthangari - Retired Banker, Lecturer and Philanthropist. * General KubuKubu (Njagi wa Ikutha) was a freedom fighter from Embu. KubuKubu died in 1955, burned alive by the colonialists after he was betrayed by a local informant. He successfully repulsed settler encroachment on Embu for over 10 year before he was captured. * Mugendi Mwana wi kîô - Founder of mwana wî kîô foundation. A leading community based organisation supporting needy and less fortunate in the society.

University education

University of Embu University of Embu is a Kenyan chartered university. It transitioned from a constituent college to a full university on 7 October 2016. Location Embu, Kenya. It is located along the Meru-Nairobi Highway, opposite Kangaru Boys High School, 4& ...

* Embu College * Jeremiah Nyagah * Kenyatta University Embu

References

External links

Embu University College

Embu Music

{{Authority control Populated places in Eastern Province (Kenya) County capitals in Kenya