Kitui is a town and capital of Kitui County in

Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

, 180 kilometres east 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 prope ...

and 105 kilometres east of

Machakos Machakos, also called Masaku is a town in Kenya, southeast of Nairobi. It is the capital of the Machakos County, Kenya. Its population is rapidly growing and was 150,041 as of 2009 and Machakos County had a population of 1,421,932 as of 2019 ...

. it covers an area approximately 30,496.4 km squares and lies between latitudes 0°10 South and 3°0 South and longitudes 37°50 East and 39°0 East. It borders seven counties i.e Machakos and Makueni counties to the west, Tana River County to the east and south-east, Taita Taveta County to the south,

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 ...

to the north-west, and Tharaka-Nithi and Meru counties to the north. Kitui became the headquarters of Kitui County after the adoption of the new constitution and the devolved government.

Overview

The name Kitui means ‘a place where iron goods are made’. The Kamba iron-smiths who settled in the county many years before the colonial period are the ones who named the area Kitui. Kitui had a population of 155,896 in 2009 making it the 12th largest urban centre in Kenya in terms of population. It is the largest urban centre in the county followed by Mwingi. A large majority of the residents belong to the Kamba, a

Bantu Bantu may refer to: *Bantu languages, constitute the largest sub-branch of the Niger–Congo languages *Bantu peoples, over 400 peoples of Africa speaking a Bantu language *Bantu knots, a type of African hairstyle *Black Association for Nationali ...

people. The Kamba of Kenya speak the Bantu

Kamba language Kamba, or Kikamba, is a Bantu language spoken by millions of Kamba people, primarily in Kenya, as well as thousands of people in Uganda, Tanzania, and elsewhere. In Kenya, Kamba is generally spoken in four counties of Kenya, counties: Machakos ...

(Kikamba) as a mother tongue. Kitui is also inhabited by several other Kenyan communities like the Luo,

Somali Somali may refer to: Horn of Africa * Somalis, an inhabitant or ethnicity associated with Greater Somali Region ** Proto-Somali, the ancestors of modern Somalis ** Somali culture ** Somali cuisine ** Somali language, a Cushitic language ** Soma ...

, Kikuyu and people from the Coast Region. Kitui is widely known in Kenya for producing a majority of the country's top legal minds. These include former Chief Justices Kitili Maluki Mwendwa (1968–1971) and Dr. Willy Mutunga (2011–2016),

State University of New York The State University of New York (SUNY, , ) is a system of public colleges and universities in the State of New York. It is one of the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States. Led by ...

(SUNY) Distinguished Professor

Makau W. Mutua Makau W. Mutua (born 1958) is a Kenyan-American professor at the SUNY Buffalo School of Law and was its dean from 2008 to 2014. He teaches international human rights, international business transactions and international law. He is vice presiden ...

, and former

Law Society of Kenya The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) is an organization mandated to advise and assist members of thlegal profession the government and the larger public in all matters relating to the Department of Justice (Kenya), administration of justice in Kenya. I ...

Chairman,

Eric Mutua Eric Kyalo Mutua (born 1970) is a Kenyan lawyer and politician. He has served as the chairman of the Law Society of Kenya and as the treasurer of the East Africa Law Society He unsuccessfully contested for Mwingi Central constituency Wiper Democrat ...

. Kitui is also widely known in Kenya for its powerful traditional doctors and is therefore a key destination for those seeking these services.

Education

The major secondary schools around Kitui town are Kitui School, St. Charles Lwanga High School, Mulango Girls' High School, St. Angela's High School, St. Ursula Tungutu Girls Secondary School, Chuluni Girls' Secondary School, Matinyani Secondary School and St. Aquinas Kalawa Boys' Secondary School. The major public primary schools in Kitui town include Central Primary School, Muslim Primary School, Manyenyoni primary school, Kaveta Primary School, Kalawa Primary School, Ngiini Primary School, Kwa Ngindu Primary School among others. There are also several private schools in the Kitui town.

Higher education

Kitui County is home to several Universities and Colleges.
South Eastern Kenya University
(SEKU) – The University is a fully fledged University and is the successor to the South Eastern University College (SEUCO) which was a Constituent College of the University of Nairobi.The University is a premier institution of higher learning in the region offering various certificate, diploma and degree programmes. SEKU envisions becoming a World Class University with quality teaching, creative learning, innovative research and strong community outreach.
Kenya Medical Training College
(KMTC)
Kenyatta University Kitui Campus

References

External links

visitkitui.com
*Information site created by volunteers working and living in Kitui, summer 2011 – "Help to Self-help in Africa
selvhjelpiafrika.org

softkenya.com/town/kitui

kitui.com
{{First and second-level administrative divisions of Kenya Populated places in Kitui County Populated places in Eastern Province (Kenya) County capitals in Kenya