The people "Aembu"

The Embu people inhabit Embu District in Kenya. To the south of Embu are to be found their cousins, the Mbeere People, in Mbeere District. Previously, the Embu and Mbeere were in one district, Embu District, and just referred to as the Embu people. To the east, Embu neighbors are the Kikuyu in Kirinyaga and Nyeri districts. The Meru people in Meru South District border Embu to the east. Embu District is an administrative District in the Eastern Province of Kenya. ... Mbeere District is an administrative district in the Eastern Province of Kenya. ... Kirinyaga District is an administrative district in the Central Province of Kenya. ... Nyeri District is district in the Central Province of Kenya. ... The Ameru tribe inhabits the Meru region of Kenya. ... Meru South District is one of the seventy-one districts of Kenya, located in that countrys Eastern Province. ...

Embu mythology claims that the Embu people originated from Mbue Njeru in the interior of Embu, close to Runyenjes town. The mythology claims that God (Ngai) created Mwenendega and gave him a beautiful wife by the famous Mbue Njeru waterfall — hence her name "Ciurunji". The couple was blessed with wealth and their descendants populated the rest of Embu. Ngai (Enkai, En-kai, Engai, Eng-ai, Mweai, Mwiai) is the supreme God in the monotheistic religions of the Kamba, Kikuyu and Maasai tribes of Kenya. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Judging by historical accounts, the Embu are believed to have migrated from the Congo Basin together with their close relatives; the Kikuyu and Meru People. The migration was perhaps due to onflicts there, such as slavery. It is believed that they migrated as far as the Kenyan Coast, since the Meru elders refer to Mpwa (Pwani or Coast) as their orgin. The conflicts there, perhaps slave trade by Arabs, forced them to retreat north east to the interior of Kenya and they settled by the slopes of Mt. Kenya. They were to refer to this location as the place of the Lord, the owner of ostriches — hence the name "Mwenenyaga". This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Slave redirects here. ... An Arab (Arabic: ) is a member of a complexly defined ethnic group who identifies as such on the basis of one or more of either genealogical, political, or linguistic grounds. ... Binomial name Carolus Linnaeus, 1758 The present-day distribution of Ostriches. ...

Embu District and town

Location of Embu in Kenya

Embu is a large town in Kenya,located approximately 120 kilometers (75 miles) northeast of Nairobi towards Mount Kenya. It serves as the provincial headquarters of Eastern Province in Kenya and is also the headquarter of Embu District. Located on the southeastern slopes of Mount Kenya, the town has a population of 41,092 (as of 1999). It is a major trading centre in Eastern Kenya and the social meeting point for the Aembu. Image File history File links KE-Embu. ... Image File history File links KE-Embu. ...

The town has an elevation of 1350 metres (4429 feet). It was founded in 1906 by the British settlers. It hosts major public provincial offices including Embu provincial general hospital, the eastern Provincial commisioner office, Embu District commissioner (DC) and officer (DO) offices. There is also a magistrate court of appeal. It is home to the key churches in the district including the Magnificent Muthatari Catholic Church cathedral and the ACK church cathedral.

The town of Embu, Kenya is known for its jacaranda trees, that literally turn the municipality into a purple shower when they flower. The jacaranda trees lose their green leaves and become solid purple when they bloom, usually in October-November each year, depending on the rainfall.

The town of Embu rises from the Ruvingaci River, up to the Kangaru School as well as from Njukiri forest in the west to Muthatari in the East, a radius of about 10 kilometres (6 miles) in size. The main town however is small and be crossed in a few minutes. Embu has a small airstrip (1 kilometer long), which is 7.1 kilometers south east of the heart of the town.

Dallas and Blue Valley estates in the town are famous for their diverse inhabitants.

There are numerous recognised educational institutions within Embu town and the wider Embu district. The schools and institutions of higher learning include;

 Nguviu Boys High School Kyeni Girls High School Kangaru Schools St Paul's High School-Kevote Embu Lions Primary School Embu High School and College County Primary East College Kigali Teachers Training College Moi High School Mbiruri Kamuthatha Boarding Primary School St's Peter and Paul Primary and Secondary Schools 

The Embu are predominantly Christian. There are numerous churches in including the Anglican Church of Kenya's Diocese of Mount Kenya East headquarters at St. Paul's Cathedral and the Embu Diocese Catholic church in Mugoya (an estate in Embu). The latter cathedral has a unique African-inspired design. The design depicts a creative artists impression of the mighty Mt Kenya and is among the largest in Africa.

Embu forms a municipality that has seven wards (Blue Valley, Itabua, Kamiu, Kangaru, Majengo, Matakari and Njukiri). All of them belong to Manyatta Constituency, which has a total of eleven wards. The remaining four are located within Embu County Council, the rural council of Embu District.

History of the Embu

The Embu are farmers who also reared cows, goats and sheep. A man's riches being judged by how many wives and children he had, for example, Senior Chief Muruatetu, probably one of the most famous Embu's. Not only did he have many children but he was also a respected administration officer for the colonial government and independent Kenya. An entire village bears his name and a school is named after him.

The Embu were fierce warriors who although rearly raider other tribes, always stood firm in defence of their teritory and people. Many occassions are on record where they Embu had to fiercely repulse Kamba and even the dreaded Massai invasions. They also rose against the British in the Mau Mau fight for Kenya's independence. The fact that the tribe was and continues to be consoderably small, explains the relatively small impact on the history of Kenya.

A captivating photo of Embu warriors hangs at the Isaac Walton Inn in Embu, named after Isaac Walton, an English gentleman who was enraptured by the fresh trout available in the fresh rivers flowing through Embu. The Ruvingazi and Kapingazi rivers border Embu town to the West and the East respectively and a a key source of domestic water to many Embu families.

Economic activities

Embu lies on the windward slopes of Mt Kenya. It remarkably occupies among the most prime fertile lands of the Kenya highlands. Two seasons are enjoyed each year and the weather is favorable for diverse agricultural activities. The main food crops grown are maize, beans, yams, cassava, millet, sorghum, bananas, arrowroots among others. This alongside the domestic livestock of cows, goats, sheep and chicken fowls keeps the people well fed throughout the year. Rarely do do the calamities of drought or famine affect the people.

With the advent of colonialism, many cash crops were introduced. For long these have offered a lucrative alternative source of livelihood for the people. The most widespread cash crops to date are coffee, tea and macadamia nuts. These are mainly grown for sale with little being processed for domestic consumption.

However, the society has over the years experienced fast population growth. this has resulted in widespread land fragmentation whereby a man has to subdivide his land among his sons. Taken to the third generation, this has resulted in land ownership being fragmented to small strips of land not feasible for conducive economic activity.

Nevertheless, the Embu are an industrious lot in the wide array of economic activities. They have successfully taken up modern lifestyles as shown by excellence both in academia and the overall national growth. Numerous schools and colleges train hundreds of youth each year to become well equipped not just for agricultural work but also for formal employment and entrepreneurship.

Tourist attractions

The district plays host to the renowned Mt Kenya to the North. This remains an everlasting tourism attraction with hordes of foreigners and local people flocking it's slopes to savor the allure of it's beauty and majesty. Numerous expeditions set out each year to scale the slopes to the mountain top. It is ever such an enthralling experience especially watching the sun rise in the horizons in the early morning from the highest Batian mountain peak. However, this is no mean achievement and it calls for great stamina and resilience. Legend has it that one man Munyao did scale the mountain to the peak and hoisted the national flag during the independence day on 12^thDecember 1964. A national hero in deed!!

Well, other attractions in the region are the huge Karue hill towering high along the Embu Meru highway. It's such a magnificent view, made of a huge crested rock at the top of which has grown two unique eucalyptus trees. Lovers are known to savour the early intimacies of their love by basking in the twilight light of the evening at the hilltop. From such a birds eye view one has a magnificent view of far reaches of the entire of Embu. Nearby to this hill are two magnificent waterfalls. The two deep falling waterfalls in close proximity color the sky in white as their waters fall down then marry to form one big Ena river that then meanders downstream to encircle the Karue hill. Such a splendid view!!!

Much more abounds to keep the most eager tourist enthralled always, not least the Embu people themselves who carry about their daily life with a deep sense of filial attachment to each other. Such a hospitable people, always welcoming to visitors and eager to help. This has endeared them to their neighbors of close and strangers from far. Embu girls are known to make remarkable wives and mothers while the men treat their wives with such due respect and never ending love that hardly ever is family breakdown a subject of deliberation. For long Kikuyu, Meru and Kamba men have come all the way to get brides from Embu while the Embu men enjoy no mean share of high regard from marriageable girls in the same tribes and those from far. With the advent of Kenya nationalism, this high regard has permeated to the entire nation and now the Embu form one respected unit of the Kenyan social fabric.

Prominent Embu individuals

• Patrick Njiru Safari rally driver of great skill
• Kithinji Kiragu Partner Price Waterhouse Coopers
• Dr Moses Njue Chief government pathologist
• Sylvester mk Gakumu Former principal Nguviu boys' High School, Kenyan ambassador to DRC Congo
• Njeru Kathangu Former MP Runyenjes, Mtumishi
• Archbishop John Njue Kibariki Catholic Archdiocese Nyeri
• Kibariki Father to Bishop John Njue and a veteran of World War I
• Cecily Mbarire Assistant Minister for Youth
• Njeru Ndwiga Minister of Coorperatives
• Munene Kiura Kwenja Research and Development Consultant
• Bishop Njiru Meru Catholic Dioceses
• Jeremiah Joseph Mwaniki Nyagah Longest serving cabinet minister,Patron Kenya Scouts association
• Joseph Nyagah Member of Parliament son of Jermiah Nyagah
• Norman Nyagah Member of Parliament Son of Jeremiah Nyagah
• Nahashon Nyagah Former Central Bank of Kenya governor
• Mary Nyagah Ambassador of Kenya to the United Nations in France
• Jeremiah Mwaniki Nyagah President Kenya youth coalition Network International(KYCNI)
• Caroline Wanjiru Nyagah Philanthrophist and activist
• Muchangi Kiragu Business Man and Stock Broker
• Murua tetu Senior chief at independence
• Leonard Njeru Njiru Businessman and scholar
• Dr. Nguuri Ph.D, Geophysics
• Njagi wa Muthang'ato Senior Chief at independence
• Kwenja Muthang'ato
• Mvuria Kwenja Prominent Coffee Farmer
• Mwarari Mvuria
• Mumanthi Kwenja Mvuria Engineer in the global village
• Munyi wa Kiragu
• Dr. Joseph Njeru Njiru Ph.D, Pychometrician, Writer and Educator
• Ndogo Businessman
• Kagoce Businessman
• Kagau Businessman
• Maina Highway Businessman
• Njeru Karuana MD Smart Credit Ltd and Director Kenya Pipeline Company
• Tunjenge Businessman Embu
• Kindaruma Honarary Embu, Indian Business Man
• Mugo Mistree Businessman
• Runyenje Wa Mukobo - Paramount Chief
• Kivuti Karingi - Lecturer in a premier Kenyan Univesity
• Munoi Wa Mutema - A renouned elder who had trading links with chief Kivoi of Kitui
• Kithinji Wa Kithimo - An astute Civil and Water Engineer, aspiring MP for Manyatta, Embu