Murang’a is county 021 of Kenya’s 47, in the former Central Province, with its capital at Murang’a town. The 2019 census counted 1,056,640 residents across 2,325.8 km², about 454 people per km². The town was called Fort Hall through the colonial period and was renamed at independence.
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Capital | Murang’a town |
| County code | 021 |
| Population (2019 census) | 1,056,640 |
| Area | 2,325.8 km² |
| Former province | Central |
| Sub-counties | 7 |
| Main languages | Kikuyu, Swahili, English |
Towns and Villages in Murang’a County
Kenol stands at the junction of the A2 and the road into Murang’a town. It has overtaken the county capital in population and is Murang’a’s commercial centre. Maragua, Kangema, Kandara, Kiriaini, Saba Saba, Kangari, Makuyu and Kirwara are the other main centres. Figures below are for each town’s built-up core.
| Town | Type | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Kenol | Town | 44,086 |
| Murang’a | Town, county capital | 43,314 |
| Maragua | Town | 8,597 |
| Kangema | Town | 6,424 |
| Kangare | Trading centre | 4,096 |
| Kiriaini | Trading centre | 3,779 |
| Saba Saba | Trading centre | 2,438 |
- Boyo
- Chege
- Chomo
- Chui
- Fara
- Gacharage
- Gacharageini
- Gacharaigu
- Gacharu
- Gachocho
- Gaichanjiru
- Gaitega
- Gakarara
- Gakira
- Gakoe
- Gakoigo
- Gakui
- Gakurwe
- Gakuyu
- Gatakaini
- Gatanga
- Gatangara
- Gatara
- Gatare
- Gateiguru
- Gathaithi
- Gathangwi
- Gatheri
- Gatheru
- Gathigio
- Gathinja
- Gathiru
- Gathukeini
- Gatiaini
- Gatitu
- Gatumbi
- Gatundu
- Gatura
- Gaturi
- Gatuya
- Geitwa
- Giathaini
- Gichagiini
- Gichugu
- Gikandu
- Gikigie
- Gikoe
- Gikomora
- Gikui
- Gikunguru
- Gikuu
- Gitaro
- Githagara
- Githambo
- Githanga
- Githembe
- Githiga
- Githima
- Githumu
- Githunguri
- Githuri
- Githuya
- Gitige
- Gituamba
- Gitugi
- Gitugu
- Gitui
- Gitura
- Gituru
- Gituto
- Gitweku
- Heho
- Ichagaki
- Ichichi
- Iganjo
- Igikiro
- Ihigaini
- Ihinga
- Ikumbi
- Ikundu
- Iregi
- Iriguini
- Itaga
- Ithanga
- Itheru
- Ititu
- Iyego
- Kabati
- Kagaa
- Kaganda
- Kagima
- Kagira
- Kagumo
- Kagumoine
- Kagumoini
- Kagundu
- Kagunduini
- Kagurumo
- Kaguthi
- Kahaini
- Kaharati
- Kaharo
- Kahithe
- Kahuhia
- Kahuro
- Kahuti
- Kairichi
- Kairo
- Kakuzi Fibre Lanes
- Kamacharia
- Kamahuha
- Kambara
- Kambirua
- Kamira
- Kamukabi
- Kamune
- Kamungu
- Kandani
- Kandara
- Kandegenye
- Kanderendu
- Kangare
- Kangema
- Kangenga
- Kanunga
- Kanyenyaine
- Kanyuira
- Karaba
- Karangi
- Kareti
- Kariaini
- Kariara
- Karimamwaro
- Karirau
- Kariua
- Karua
- Karugia
- Karumu
- Karunge
- Karuru One
- Karuru Two
- Karurumo
- Kaweru
- Kenol
- Keruri
- Kiaguthu
- Kiahiti
- Kiairathe
- Kiamara
- Kiambuthia
- Kiamuturi
- Kiamwenji
- Kianderi
- Kiangochi
- Kiangoma
- Kiangunyi
- Kiarutara
- Kiathaini
- Kiawambeu
- Kiawambogo
- Kiawanjugu
- Kiboi
- Kibutha
- Kibuu
- Kiganjo
- Kigio
- Kigongo
- Kigoro
- Kigumo
- Kiharu
- Kihoya
- Kihumbuini
- Kikomoa
- Kimandi
- Kimathi
- Kinyona
- Kiranga
- Kirere
- Kirerwa
- Kiri Kamacharia
- Kiria
- Kiriaini
- Kiriangoro
- Kirimaini
- Kirimamwaro
- Kirimiri
- Kiringa
- Kiriti
- Kirogo
- Kiru
- Kirundu
- Kiruri
- Kirwara
- Kititu
- Kiugu
- Kiumba
- Kiunyu
- Koimbi
- Kora
- Lower Gatara
- Lower Tana
- Maganjo
- Mairi
- Makindi
- Makomboki
- Makuyu
- Maningu
- Manyatta
- Maragi
- Maragi Two
- Maragua
- Maranjau
- Mareira
- Mariaini
- Marumi
- Mathangeini
- Mathareini
- Matheriti
- Mbari-ya-hiti
- Mbugiti
- Mbugua
- Mihuti
- Mioro
- Mirira
- Mitchell’s Post
- Mitubiri
- Mjini
- Muchungucha
- Mugeka
- Mugoiri
- Mugumoini
- Mukangu
- Mukarara
- Mukungai
- Mukuria
- Mukurue
- Mungaria
- Munguini
- Mununga
- Murang’a
- Murarandia
- Murarandia Two
- Muriranjas
- Muruka
- Muthithi
- Mwagu
- Mweru
- Naaro
- Ndakaini
- Ndonga
Geography
Murang’a runs east–west down the slope of the Aberdare Range. It falls from moorland above 3,000 m on the western boundary to the dry Makuyu and Ithanga plains below 1,000 m. Between them lie the settled coffee and tea ridges, cut into long parallel strips by the rivers.
The Maragua, Mathioya, Chania, Thika, Irati and Sagana rivers all rise on the Aberdares and flow east to the Tana. Ndakaini Dam on the Thika River, in Gatanga, is the single largest source of Nairobi’s piped water. Rainfall falls from about 2,000 mm a year on the upper Aberdare slopes to under 700 mm at Ithanga.
Murang’a borders six counties: Nyeri County to the north, Kirinyaga County to the north-east, Embu County to the east, Machakos County to the south-east, Kiambu County to the south and Nyandarua County to the west.
Demographics
The 2019 KNBS census recorded 1,056,640 residents at about 454 people per km². Population is concentrated on the mid-altitude ridges in Kiharu, Kandara, Kigumo and Maragua, where farms have been subdivided over several generations. The eastern plains around Ithanga and Makuyu are much more thinly settled, and the upper Aberdare forest is not settled at all.
Murang’a is predominantly Kikuyu, and Kikuyu is the everyday language alongside Swahili and English. Like Nyeri, it has long sent young adults to Nairobi and to farms in the Rift Valley, which leaves an older resident age profile in the rural sub-counties.
Economy and Local Life
Murang’a is one of Kenya’s leading avocado counties. Hass avocados for export have become the fastest-growing smallholder crop, alongside macadamia, bananas and mangoes on the lower ground. Coffee and tea remain the older cash crops: tea on the wet upper ridges of Kangema and Mathioya, coffee across Kiharu, Kandara and Kigumo.
Dairy is widespread and milk is collected daily by co-operatives. Kenol has grown into a transport and wholesale hub on the A2, with fuel depots, hardware trade and grain stores. Sand harvesting along the lower rivers, quarrying, and pineapple and horticulture estates around Makuyu and Ithanga round out the county’s employment.
History
Murang’a holds Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga, at Gaturi, the site Kikuyu tradition names as the first home of Gikuyu and Mumbi, from whose nine daughters the Kikuyu clans descend. It is a gazetted cultural site and remains a place of ceremony.
The colonial station of Fort Hall was built here in 1900 and gave the district its name for sixty years. The county was a core recruiting ground for the Mau Mau in the 1950s. The villagisation programme of that decade moved much of the rural population into concentrated settlements. That pattern is still visible in how the ridge villages are laid out.
Getting There
Murang’a town is about 85 km from Nairobi. The A2 Nairobi–Thika–Sagana highway runs along the eastern side of the county through Makuyu, Kabati and Kenol. A spur turns west at Kenol for Murang’a town, Kiriaini and Kangema.
Kandara, Kigumo, Maragua and Saba Saba are reached on tarmac from the A2, and the ridge roads climb west towards the Aberdare forest edge. The metre-gauge Nanyuki branch railway crosses the county near Makuyu and Sagana. Matatus and buses run all day from Nairobi’s Tea Room stage, taking about an hour and a half. There is no commercial airport.
FAQ
What is the capital of Murang’a County?
Murang’a town, known as Fort Hall until independence, is the county headquarters. It is about 85 km from Nairobi.
How many towns and villages are in Murang’a County?
298 towns, villages and trading centres are mapped in Murang’a County. The 250 largest and best documented are listed on this page.
What are the sub-counties of Murang’a?
Murang’a has seven sub-counties, matching its constituencies: Kangema, Mathioya, Kiharu, Kigumo, Maragwa, Kandara and Gatanga.
What is the population of Murang’a County?
The 2019 census counted 1,056,640 people in Murang’a County, over 2,325.8 km².
Which dam in Murang’a supplies Nairobi?
Ndakaini Dam, on the Thika River in Gatanga sub-county, is the largest single source of Nairobi’s piped water supply.
Which counties border Murang’a?
Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Embu, Machakos, Kiambu and Nyandarua.