Kandara is a town in
Muranga County,
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. ...
. Kandara is located 10 kilometres south of
Kigumo and 30 kilometres north of
Thika. Kandara hosts a
town council
A town council, city council or municipal council is a form of local government for small municipalities.
Usage of the term varies under different jurisdictions.
Republic of Ireland
In 2002, 49 urban district councils and 26 town commissi ...
with a population of 28,840 (1999 census ).
Kandara town council has four civic wards: Gakui/Karimamwaro, Gathugu/Ruchu/Gakarara, Gatundu/Kiiri/Kandara and Kaguthi/Githuya. All of them are part of the
Kandara Constituency.
Kandara is the headquarters of ''Kandara division'', an
administrative division
Administrative divisions (also administrative units, administrative regions, subnational entities, or constituent states, as well as many similar generic terms) are geographical areas into which a particular independent sovereign state is divi ...
. Kandara division has a population of 157,454 (1999 census ). Kandara division has the following
locations: Gaichanjiru, Ithiru, Kagunduini, Muruka and Ruchu.
The 2010 scrapping of administrative structures by passing of new constitution eliminated Maragua and Kandara Districts, merging them into a larger Muranga county.
Geographic Dimensions of Well-Being in Kenya
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Kandara town is one of the oldest town in Kenya as it was built during colonial era. The colonialists built it on top of a hill in order to create a good view of "our people"(freedom fighters)approaching it.
The current member of parliament is Hon. Chege Njuguna of U.D.A. party. The former was Alice Wahome of Jubilee party
. Kandara is an agricultural productive area. It is endowed with coffee and tea plantations. most of the residents engage in small scale horticultural farming. The horticular farming is conducted along the numerous river banks in the area.
Kandara town which is the headquarters of kandara Division, has a history of being oldest. even there is a saying commonly used "old like Kandara Shops on behide". Despite agricultural activities, Kandara has numerous secondary schools. including famous Njiris High School, Ruchu Girls, Ngararia Secondary school. The market day is on Monday and Thursday every week. These are the days when the small scale farmers get an opportunity to sell their produce.
One of the biggest economic challenges facing Kandara, is unproductivity of young generation as they engages in cheap illegal brews.
References
Kandara at the GeoNet names server
Murang'a County
Populated places in Central Province (Kenya)
{{CentralKE-geo-stub