Nyandarua County

Nyandarua County
County

Aberdare Ranges in Nyandarua County

Flag
Coat of arms

Location in Kenya
Country  Kenya
Formed March 4th 2013
Capital Ol Kalou
Government
 • Governor Daniel Waithaka
Area
 • Total 3,107.7 km2 (1,199.9 sq mi)
Population (2009)
 • Total 596,268 [1]
Time zone EAT (UTC+3)
Website nyandarua.go.ke

Nyandarua County is a County in the former Central Province of Kenya. Its capital and largest town is Ol Kalou.[2] Formerly the capital was Nyahururu, which is now part of the Laikipia County. Nyandarua County has population of 596,268 [1] and an area of 3,304 km².[3] The county is located on the northwestern part of the old Central Province, and contains the Aberdare Ranges.

The county was split into two in 2007: Nyandarua North District and Nyandarua South District. However with the promulgation in 2010 of new constitution, these have been re-organised as sub counties of Nyandarua County . Daniel Waithaka was elected the first governor of the County 2013 General Election, .

Demographics

Local authorities (councils)
Authority Type Population* Urban pop.*
Ol Kalou Town 47,795 15,186
Nyandarua County 432,107 21,868
Total - 479,902 37,054
* 1999 census. Source:[4]
Administrative divisions
Sub-County Population* Urban pop.* Headquarters
Kipipiri 78,893 208 Kipipiri
Ndaragwa 85,245 3,594 Ndaragwa
North Kinangop 67,356 4,080
Ol Joro Orok 65,229 0 Ol Joro Orok
Ol Kalou 98,806 3,881 Ol Kalou
South Kinangop 84,373 3,099
Total 479,902 14,871 -
* 1999 census. Sources:,[5][6]

Constituencies

The county has five constituencies and 25 wards

Constituency Area km2 Popn census 2009 No of Wards Wards
Kinangop Constituency 935 192,379 8 Engineer, Gathara, North Kinangop, Murungaru, Njabini/Kibiru, Nyakio, Magumu, Githabai
Kipipiri Constituency 544 95,338 4 Wanjohi, Kipipiri, Geta, Githioro
Ol Kalou Constituency 536 120,282 5 Karau, Kanjuire Ridge,Milangine, Kaimbaga, Rurii
ol Joro Orok Constituency 439 95,643 4 Gathanji, Gatimu, Weru, Charagita
Ndaragwa Constituency 655 92,626 4 Leshau/Pondo, Kiriita, Central, Shamata
Total 3,108 596,268 25

Health

Nyandarua is serviced by several government hospitals; Nyahururu, Ngano. Ol Kalou district hospital. Mission hospital funded by church and NGO, Dispensary i.e.Milangine Health Centre and numbers of private hospital.

County hospitals receive patients from all over the county and in case of referral refer them to Nakuru or Nyeri provincial hospital and then to Kenyatta National Hospital

Representatives

The county is represented in by 25 elected ward representatives 5 MPs,a Women representative, a Senator and a Governor.[7]

In 2013 presidential election the county voter voted for Uhuru Kenyatta with 237,975 a 99% of valid votes

Legislature

Current Members of parliament from constituencies in the county are;

Constituency Formation MP Name Political Party Vote For Total Vote cast Note
Kinangop 1988 Stephen Kinyanjui TNA 57,895 80,001
Kipipiri 1988 Samuel Kamunye Gishigi Alliance Party 18,972 36,887
Ol Kalou 1997 David Njuguna Kiaraho TNA 22,201 46,120
Ol Joro Orok 2013 John Muriithi Waiganjo TNA 23,748 36,445
Ndaragwa 1988 Nderitu Waweru TNA 25,171 38,281
Nyandarua County 2013 Wanjiku wa Muhia TNA 158,486 239,661 Women Representatives
Nyandarua County 2013 Muriuki Karue TNA 211,315 239,074 Senator

Governor

They were three candidate for governorship during 2013 election[8]

Candidate Party Votes Comment
Daniel Waithaka Mwangi TNA 162,418 Winner
David Mwaniki Ngugi GNU 19,561
Peter Mwangi Gathimba NARC 55,896
Rejected Votes 2,313
Total Cast Votes 240,188

Education

Children in Nyandarua can access school with ease. Schools are normally situated a walking distance mostly of less than 3 km (for primary school and high school) with a large number of public and private schools. For tertiary education they are a number of colleges and polytechnic but no university.

One of pioneer school is Nyandarua high School which was opened 29 March 1965 with 71 students.[9] Currently they are other major school among others; Kangui high School, Karima Girls, Shamata Girls, Wanjohi Girls, Magumu, Mukoe, Kagondo,,kihingo, Waka Junior, Njabini, Nyahururu Boys. There has been no University in Nyandarua, until Nyandarua Institute was upgraded to a university college under Egerton University. There are some Technical Institution like Leshau Polytechnic in Ndaragwa Constituency, at Gordon Centre (Next to Kihingo Catholic Church) - Mutanga Parish. More Tertiary institution are needed.

Investments Challenges

Nyandarua County is a productive area for agriculture, manufacturing and processing. There are a number of challenges including lack of a good road network and adequate distribution of electricity and water.

Interested investors both local and in the diaspora can invest in agriculture, manufacturing, processing and housing.

Sport

Nyandarua is known for athletics being home to John Ngugi, late Kamau Wanjiru bidan kaloki, nyaruai, among other notable athletes

Economy

the main economic activity in Nyandarua is farming (crop cultivation and dairy farming). In late 1990s Nyandarua was a leading producer of pyrethrum however Kenya pyrethrum Board the parastatal that was given the role of purchasing, processing and marketing the crop collapsed because of poor management and corruption, severely undermining the livelihood of many farmers

Central Kenya Region

Urbanisation

Urbanisation in Central Kenya
County
Urbanisation in Central Kenya (Percent)
Kiambu County
60.8
Nyeri County
24.5
Nyandarua County
18.5
Muranga County
16.3
Kirinyaga County
15.8
 Kenya Average
32.3

Urbanisation by County in Central Kenya

[10]

Wealth and poverty level

Wealth/Poverty Level in Central Kenya
County
Poverty Level in Central Kenya (Percent)
Kirinyaga County
25.2
Muranga County
28.5
Kiambu County
28.9
Nyeri County
32.7
Nyandarua County
46.6
 Kenya Average
45.9

Poverty level by County

[11][12]

References

  1. 1 2 "Kenya Census 2009". Scribd.com. Retrieved 2013-12-09.
  2. ↑ "Kenya | U.S. Agency for International Development" (PDF). Kenya.usaid.gov. Retrieved 2013-12-09.
  3. ↑ "Kenya Districts". Statoids.com. Retrieved 2013-12-09.
  4. ↑
  5. ↑ (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20070616215050/http://www.cck.go.ke/html/final_annex1_cover_status.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 June 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2013. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ↑ Archived 18 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑
  8. ↑ Archived 5 August 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ↑ "Nyandarua High School". Somo.co.ke. Retrieved 2013-12-09.
  10. ↑ "County Urbanization: Nairobi | Open Kenya | Transparent Africa". Kenya.socrata.com. Retrieved 2013-12-09.
  11. ↑ "Poverty Rate, by District | Open Kenya | Transparent Africa". Kenya.socrata.com. Retrieved 2013-12-09.
  12. ↑ Al, Edward (2013-09-30). "Kenya | Data". Data.worldbank.org. Retrieved 2013-12-09.

External links

Coordinates: 0°33′S 36°37′E / 0.550°S 36.617°E / -0.550; 36.617

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