Mbeere District

Mbeere District was a former administrative district in the Eastern Province of Kenya. Its capital town was Siakago. The district had a population of 170,950 and an area of 2,093 km².[1] The district was split from Embu District in 1996. In 2010, it was merged into Embu County

Cumulative rainfall at Masinga dam, Kenya.

The natives here, the Mbeere People speak kimbeere language. There is also a large chunk of peoples from the Akamba community mainly concentrated in the southern parts of the former district.

The former district hosts the famous seven folks dams, which include: Masinga dam, Kamburu dam, Gitaru dam, Kindaruma dam and Kiambere dam which it shares with Machakos County. The dams are a part of Tana River. Other local places of interest include the Mwea National Reserve, and Kiangombe mountain, which peaked at 1804 metres stands out compared to adjacent topography, although is not as spectacular as the Mount Kenya located less than 100 kilometres northwest.

The dorminant crops found there include fruits like Mangoes, melons, pawpaws and passion fruits. the farmers in this area grow maize, beans, cowpeas, pigeon peas, black peas-njavi, others like millet are seasonally grown there.

Mbeere district also came to be known with miraa, as it was the second largest producer after Meru. The miraa crop is commonly grown in what was the northern part of the district.

Mbeere district had only one local authority, Mbeere county council. The district had two constituencies: Siakago Constituency and Gachoka Constituency. The district was divided into four administrative divisions. More changes were expected with the split of the districts in year 2009; Mbeere South district whose headquarters is in Kiritiri town and Mbeere North district with headquarters in Siakago town.

Currently the constituencies have had their names changed from Gachoka to Mbeere South Constituency and from Siakago to Mbeere North Constituency.

Administrative divisions
Division Population* Urban pop.* Headquarters
Gachoka59,102-
Evurore36,8410-
Mwea40,680-
Siakago34,3302,312Siakago
Total170,953---
* 1999 census. Sources: cck.go.ke[2][3]

References
  1. "Kenya Districts". statoids.com.
  2. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 16, 2007. Retrieved September 28, 2007.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved November 27, 2007.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

Mbeere district is also home to a Planetarium which is under construction on Kianjiru hill, Mbeere South District. The district is highly cosmopolitan with people from diverse communities such as Kamba, Kikuyu, Tharaka, and Luos who live along the Seven Forks dams. This inclusion is seen in voting paterns, where leaders are chosen even from the minor communities based on merit and performance record. The present Member of Parliament of Mbeere South is Mutava Musyimi who is a Kamba (a minority community in Mbeere South). In 2010 the larger Embu County was voted among the top 3 most peaceful and cohesive areas to live in in Kenya (Daily Nation). Mbeere South district borders Kamba to the East, Kikuyu to the West, and Embu communities to the North. The district has produced some of the seasoned leaders in Kenya such former Governor of the Central Bank, Nahashon Nyaga, former minister of Cooperatives Joseph Nyaga, several academicians, Engineers, doctors, and other civil servants. With the advent of devolution, the district is set for an economic take off through sand harvesting and sale of its cash crops.

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