Kiambu District was an administrative district in the Central Province of Kenya. Its capital town was Kiambu. The district was adjacent to the northern border of Nairobi and had a population of 744,010. [1]
Created during the colonial era, it underwent changes, absorbing part of Thika District, losing some of its regions to Nairobi such as Dagoretti while gaining some including Ruiru. [2] [3] [4] By the 1970s, Thika District had been completely absorbed by its neighbouring districts, and Kiambu District was identical to the present-day Kiambu County. After 1992, Thika District was re-established from southwestern regions of Kiambu. In 2009, Thika District was declared unlawfully created and was reabsorbed to Kiambu yet again. In 2013, Kiambu County was effected on the same boundaries as the district absorbing it in the process.
The district was predominantly rural, but its urban population is increasing as Nairobi is growing rapidly. The Kikuyu are the dominant tribe in the district.
In 2007, Kiambu District was subdivided in two: Kiambu East and Kiambu West. Kiambu West district took Limuru, Lari and Kikuyu divisions, [5] with Limuru as its district capital.
Authority | Type | Population* | Urban pop.* |
---|---|---|---|
Kiambu | Municipality | 72,139 | 13,814 |
Limuru | Municipality | 70,765 | 4,141 |
Karuri | Town | 100,506 | 19,746 |
Kikuyu | Town | 165,594 | 4,104 |
Kiambu county | County | 335,006 | 5,319 |
* 1999 census. Source: |
Division | Population* | Urban pop.* | Headquarters |
---|---|---|---|
Githunguri | 136,554 | 8,831 | Githunguri |
Kiambaa | 188,055 | 22,861 | Kiambu |
Kikuyu | 194,521 | 3,724 | Kikuyu |
Lari | 111,302 | 0 | |
Limuru | 113,578 | 3,708 | Limuru |
* 1999 census. Sources: , |
Limuru is a town in central Kenya. It serves as both a parliamentary constituency and an administrative division. As of 2004, the town's population was approximately 4,800, which significantly increased to 159,314 by the 2019 census.
Thika is an industrial town and commerce hub in Kiambu County, Kenya, lying on the A2 road 42 kilometres (26 mi), northeast of Nairobi, near the confluence of the Thika and Chania Rivers. Although Thika town is administratively in Kiambu County, the greater Thika area comprising residential areas such as Bendor estate, Maporomoko, Thika Greens, Thika Golden Pearl, Bahati Ridge, and Thika Sports Club, among others, are within Murang'a County. Thika had a population of 279,429 as of the 2019 National Census and is growing rapidly. Its elevation is approximately 1,631 metres (5,351 ft).
Ruiru is a municipality and sub-county in Kiambu County, Kenya. It sits within the greater Nairobi Metropolitan region. According to the 2019 national population census, Ruiru was the 4th largest urban centre in Kenya by population. The name Ruiru is of the Kikuyu origin and possibly relates to the black cotton soil that is found in most parts of Ruiru.
Kiambu County is a county in the former Central Province of Kenya. Its capital is Kiambu and its largest town is Thika town. Kiambu County is the second most populous county in Kenya after Nairobi County. Kiambu County borders Nairobi and Kajiado Counties to the South, Machakos to the East, Murang'a to the North and North East, Nyandarua to the North West, and Nakuru to the West. It has a population of 2,417,735.
Thika District is a former administrative district in the Central Province of Kenya. Its capital town was Thika. The district was adjacent to the northeastern border of Nairobi. The district had a population of 645.713.
Gatundu is a small town in Kiambu County of Kenya. It is known for the first Kenyan president Jomo Kenyatta who lived about three kilometres away from the town, as well as his son, Uhuru Kenyatta, the 4th President of Kenya and former Member of Parliament representing Gatundu South Constituency. The town is located on a hill surrounded by many farms and residences.
Local authorities in Kenya are the bodies controlling local governance in urban areas in Kenya.
Banana Hill is a suburb of Karuri town, in the eastern part of Kiambu County, Kenya. Banana Hill's population constitutes 20 percent of the estimated 100,000 residents within Kiambaa Constituency.
Kikuyu Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of twelve constituencies in Kiambu County and was established during the 1963 elections. From the period 1988 elections were held until the 2002 elections were held in Kenya, it was known as Kabete Constituency. With the new demarcation of constituencies by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the constituency was split into two and now we have Kikuyu Constituency and Kabete Constituency.
Lari Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya, located in the northwestern part of Kiambu County. The constituency was established in 1966 from Limuru Constituency. Lari borders Kinangop to the North, Limuru to the South, Githunguri and Gatundu North constituencies to the east and Naivasha Constituency to the west. Lari is one of the 12 constituencies in Kiambu County, and is further divided to five wards each electing a representative to the Kiambu County Assembly.
Kiambu West District was a former district of Kenya. It carved out of the former Kiambu District in 2005 and comprised all constituencies to the west of the Kikuyu, Wangige, Kiambu road. The district had its headquarters in Limuru town which is about 40 kilometres west of Nairobi and half a kilometre off the Nairobi-Nakuru highway. Some of the divisions found in Kiambu west included Kikuyu and Lari.
The Thika River flows through Kiambu County in central Kenya and is a tributary of the Tana River. The river forms a psychological boundary between the counties of Murang'a and Kiambu. The Thika River is a significant source of hydroelectric power in Kenya and provides most of the water supply for Nairobi, Kenya's capital and largest city.
Dagoretti is an area in the western part of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. It straddles the Nairobi and Kiambu County boundary with the Dagoretti Road Reserve marking the psychological border point heading Northerly and North-Easterly. Administratively it is one of eight divisions of Nairobi. The Dagoretti division is divided into six Locations. The former electoral Dagoretti Constituency had the same boundaries as the now defunct Dagoretti division.
Githurai is a composition of densely populated, urban, mixed-use settlements located at the border of Nairobi County and Kiambu County along the Thika Road. Githurai is divided into two; Githurai 45 and Githurai 44. Githurai 45 falls under Ruiru Municipality in the Githurai Sub-county of Kiambu County with the boundary being the Thika Road reserve and River Kasarani downstream. Githurai 44 is domiciled in the Kasarani Sub-county of Nairobi County. Githurai 44 neighbours Kahawa West, Zimmerman and Njatha-ini Village.
Kingdom Bank Limited (Kenya), formerly Jamii Bora Bank, is a commercial bank in Kenya. It is one of the commercial banks licensed by the Central Bank of Kenya, the national banking regulator.
Sub-counties, formerly known as Districts, are the decentralised units through which government of Kenya provides functions and services. At national level, sub-counties take a more administrative function like security, statistical purposes, provision of government services, etc. Even though the sub-counties are divisions of counties, powers to create new national sub-counties lies with the national government. As of 2023, there are 314 sub-counties, compared to 290 constituencies. A deputy county commissioner is appointed by the state to lead each sub-county. The sub-counties are further divided into divisions, locations and sub-locations.
Local elections were held in Kiambu County to elect a Governor and County Assembly on 4 March 2013. Under the new constitution, which was passed in a 2010 referendum, the 2013 general elections were the first in which Governors and members of the County Assemblies for the newly created counties were elected.
Nairobi Western Bypass Highway is a road in Kenya. It connects the town of Kikuyu to the town of Ruaka, both in Kiambu County.
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