Taveta | |
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  Taveta Location of Taveta | |
| Coordinates: 03°23′44″S37°40′34″E / 3.39556°S 37.67611°E | |
| Country | Kenya |
| County | Taita-Taveta County |
| Elevation | 1,000 m (3,300 ft) |
| Population (2019 [1] ) | |
| • Total | 22,018 |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (EAT) |
Taveta is a town in the Taita-Taveta County, Kenya.
Taveta town is wedged into a projection of Kenyan territory bordered on the north and west by Tanzania.
The town lies at the border with Tanzania, directly across from the town of Holili. This is approximately 111 kilometres (69 mi), by road, west of Voi, the nearest large town, on the Arusha–Holili–Taveta–Voi Road. [2] This lies approximately 305 kilometres (190 mi), by road southeast of Nairobi, the capital and largest city in Kenya. [3] The coordinates of the town are:3°23'44.0"S, 37°40'34.0"E (Latitude:-3.395565; Longitude:37.676113). [4] In addition to Mount Kilimanjaro, Taveta also enjoys proximity to Lake Chala, a volcanic freshwater lake of extraordinary depth.
In 1914, Taveta was the scene of the first military action in East Africa between forces of the British and German empires. On 15 August, a German force of about 300 soldiers, led by Captain Tom von Prince, advanced across the border and seized the town of Taveta. The objective was both to strengthen the defence of German East Africa and to provide a base for attacks into British territory, especially on the Uganda Railway. [5]
Corporal Murimu Mwiti, leading the small group of police that were defending Tavita, stood his ground and was killed by the advancing German forces. A German officer, Friedrich Broeker, was also shot before the British force retreated. Taveta remained in German hands until it was recaptured by the British in March 1916. [6] [7] [8]
Taveta thrives as a point of commerce between Kenya and Tanzania, with a twice-weekly outdoor market especially large for a town of its size. The market is fueled in part by Taveta's rail connection through Voi with the Mombasa-Nairobi-Kampala line, built during the era of British Kenya. Large numbers of people walk across the border from Tanzania to buy and sell wares in Taveta; smuggled goods such as Tanzanian rubies and coffee are occasionally available there.
Taveta Town is a fast-growing town. The Town Council of Taveta has acquired a 20 square kilometres (4,900 acres) former sisal plantation for town expansion. All government border offices are located some 5 kilometres (3 mi), west of the central business district of the town, towards the border with Tanzania, with modern new office premises. The Holili/Taveta customs and immigration post is a One Stop Border Post. [9]
The current (2014) Member of Parliament for Taveta Constituency, which is largely the district and by extension the town, is Dr. Naomi Shaaban. She is a third term Member of Parliament.
At one time, Taveta has had several Members of Parliament from different tribes, namely Mwacharo Kubo a taita, Norman Lukindo a kamba, Jackson Mwalulu a kamba, Alex Dingiria, Othinel Mnene, Naomi Shaaban, all Tavetas, and even a Kenyan of Greek origin, Basil Criticos.
As of 2019 [update] , the urban center had a population of 22,018. [1] The main ethnicities in Taveta are the Taveta and Kamba tribes.
Kitui is a town and capital of Kitui County in Kenya, 180 kilometres east of Nairobi and 105 kilometres east of Machakos. 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 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.
Voi is the largest town in Taita-Taveta County in southern Kenya, in the former Coast Province. It lies at the western edge of the Taru Desert, south and west of the Tsavo East National Park. The Sagala Hills are to the south.
Wundanyi is a town in the Taita-Taveta County of Kenya. Other urban centres in the county include Voi, Taveta and Mwatate.
Taveta is the name of a tribe found in Kenya. It is also the name of the principal town in the land of the Taveta people and the name of the surrounding subdistrict of Kenya.
Bura is a town in Taita-Taveta County, Kenya.
Mwatate is a town in Taita-Taveta County, Kenya. It is the county capital, although it is the fourth-largest town in the county. Other urban centers in Taita-Taveta County include Voi, Wundanyi and Taveta.
Mombasa Road, also known as the Nairobi–Mombasa Road, or Mombasa–Nairobi Road or A109 Road (Kenya) is the main road between Nairobi, Kenya's capital and largest city and Mombasa, the country's largest port city. The road is a component of the Northern Corridor. It is part of the Lagos–Mombasa Highway.
The A23 is a major road in Kenya linking the towns of Voi and Taveta, before crossing the Tanzanian border and serving the towns of Moshi and Arusha. The Taveta branch of the Uganda Railway runs along the road. It is part of the Arusha–Holili–Taveta–Voi Road.
Lunga Lunga is a settlement and Sub-County in Kenya's Kwale County. It is situated just six kilometers from Kenya's border with Tanzania.
Voi Airport is an airport in Voi, Kenya.
Kilaguni is a location in Kenya.
Kilaguni Airport is an airport in Kenya.
Mackinnon Road Airport is an airport in Mackinnon Road, Kenya.
Taita-Taveta District was a district of Kenya, located in the Coast Province of that country. It lies approximately 200 km northwest of Mombasa and 360 km southeast of Nairobi city.
Arusha–Holili–Taveta–Voi Road (A23) is a road in Tanzania and Kenya, connecting the towns of Arusha, Moshi, and Holili in Tanzania with Taveta and Voi in Kenya.
Holili, is a town in Rombo District, Kilimanjaro Region, in northeastern Tanzania, at the border with Kenya.
The Malindi–Bagamoyo Highway, also Coastline Transnational Highway, is a road in Kenya and Tanzania, connecting the cities of Malindi and Mombasa in Kenya to Tanga and Bagamoyo in Tanzania.
Isbania, also Isibania, is a town in Migori County of Kenya, at the International border with Tanzania.
Masaka–Mutukula Road is a road in the Central Region of Uganda, connecting the town of Masaka, in Masaka District, to the border town of Mutukula in Rakai District.
The Isinya–Singida High Voltage Power Line is a high voltage electricity power line, under construction, connecting the high voltage substation at Isinya, Kenya to another high voltage substation at Singida, Tanzania.
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