Tharaka-Nithi County
| Tharaka-Nithi County | ||
|---|---|---|
| County | ||
| ||
 Location of Tharaka-Nithi County in Kenya | ||
| Coordinates: 0°18′S 38°0′E / 0.300°S 38.000°ECoordinates: 0°18′S 38°0′E / 0.300°S 38.000°E | ||
| Country |
 Kenya | |
| Formed | March 4, 2013 | |
| Capital | Kathwana | |
| Government | ||
| • Governor | Samwel Mbae | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 2,609.5 km2 (1,007.5 sq mi) | |
| Population (2009)[1] | ||
| • Total | 365,330 | |
| • Density | 140/km2 (360/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | EAT (UTC+3) | |
| Website |
www | |
Tharaka-Nithi County is one of the 47 counties of Kenya located in Kenya's former Eastern Province. The county has an area of 2609 km² and had a population of 365,330 as of the 2009 census.[2]
Tharaka-Nithi County is the home to the Chuka, Muthambi, Mwimbi and Tharaka sections of the Ameru (Meru) community. The people of Tharaka-Nithi County are now predominantly Christian with the Catholics, the Presbyterian, and the Methodists being the predominant religious communities.
History
In 1992 Meru District, sometimes called "Greater Meru" was broken up into four pieces, Meru Central, Meru North, Meru South and Tharaka; with Meru South (also known as Nithi District) combined with Tharaka into a new Tharaka-Nithi District. In 1998, the Tharaka Nithi District was split into two districts, Nithi and Tharaka,[3] but the Kenya Supreme Court decision of 2009 declared that split unconstitutional.[4] Subsequently, under the revised constitution of 2010, Tharaka-Nithi became a county.[5]
County Headquarters
The county headquarters is at Kathwana, a site that is at the intersection of the three constituencies (Maara, Tharaka and Chuka/Igamba-ngo'mbe. The headquarters is on the Mate Road, a recently tarmacked road that runs through Ena, Ishiara, Ciakariga, Tunyai, to Meru and Nkubu. The location of the County headquarters was by consensus by all the communities of the County. If well planned it can turn out to be a very beautiful city. Before the decision to locate the headquarters at kathwana was settled, there was a disagreement between leaders from the region.
Politics
Tharaka Nithi County presently has 3 constituencies in the 11th Parliament of the Republic of Kenya.They are Maara, Chuka/Igambang'ombe and Tharaka.
Education
The county has many secondary schools, the best in performance being; Chogoria girls, Ikuu boys, Chuka boys, Chogoria boys, Muthambi girls, Kajiunduthi boys among others. the county was also the first in the former eastern province to host a public chartered university; Chuka University
Economy
Like Other Counties surrounding Mount Kenya, the primary economic activities in Tharaka-Nithi County are tea and coffee planting, subsistence dairy farming,as well as keeping of other livestock such as goats and sheep.
Vision
to be a competitive,dynamic,environmental friendly county for quality education advancement and investment,economically stable and enrichment of innovation and creativity in all fields.
Prominent Personalities
The County's most notable 'son' is the late Bernard Mate, an active politician in Kenya's independence struggle, who resided in Majira, near Chuka. He represented Central in the LegCo of 1957, as well as being a member of parliament in the 1960s and 1970s.
See also some neighbouring Counties
References
- ↑ http://www.scribd.com/doc/36672705/Kenya-Census-2009
- ↑ "Kenya 2009 Population and Housing Census Highlights" (PDF). Kenya national Bureau of Statistics. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 September 2010.
- ↑ Sheila Aikman, Elaine Unterhalter: (2005) Beyond access: transforming policy and practice for gender equality in education. Oxfam, page 107.
- ↑ Nyasato, Robert (5 September 2009). "High Court outlaws 210 districts created by Moi and Kibaki since 1992". The Standard. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014.
- ↑ "First Scheduke, Article 6 (1)" (PDF). Constitution of Kenya (2010). p. 167. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 March 2014.