Kitui District

Kitui County
County
Sunset at Tsavo East National Park mostly located in Kitui County
Location in Kenya
Coordinates: 1°29′S 38°23′E / 1.483°S 38.383°E / -1.483; 38.383Coordinates: 1°29′S 38°23′E / 1.483°S 38.383°E / -1.483; 38.383
Country	Kenya
Formed	August 27th 2010
Capital	Kitui
Government
• Governor	Julius Makau Malombe
Area
• Total	24,385.1 km2 (9,415.1 sq mi)
Population (2009)
• Total	1,012,709
Time zone	EAT (UTC+3)
Website	Official website

Kitui County is a county in the former Eastern Province of Kenya. Its capital and largest town is Kitui, although Mwingi is also another major urban centre. The county has a population of 1,012,709 (2009 census. and an area of 24,385.1 km².

The name Kitui means ‘a place where iron goods are made’. The Kamba iron-smiths who settled in the county many years before the colonial period are the ones who named the area Kitui.

Kitui County shares its borders with seven counties; Tharaka and Meru to the north, Embu to the northwest, Machakos and Makueni to the west, Tana River to the east and southeast, and Taita Taveta to the south.

Kitui County has Eight Sub-Counties which are: Kitui West Sub-County. Kitui Central Sub-County. Kitui Rural Sub-County. Kitui South Sub-County. Kitui East Sub-County. Mwingi North Sub-County. Mwingi West Sub-County. Mwingi Central Sub-County.

Further, the sub-counties are divided into smaller units called wards. There are 40 wards which are further divided into 247 villages.

Major towns in the county include Kitui, Mwingi, Mutomo, Kwa Vonza, Mutito, Ikutha, Kabati, Migwani, Mbitini and Kyuso.

The climate is semi-arid; it receives roughly 71 cm (28 inches). A significant point however is that rainfall occurs practically only during the rainy seasons (one long around March & April, and one short, around October,November and December).The terms Long and Short Rains has nothing to do with amount of rainfall received bur rather on the length of the rainy seasons.

The Kitui County Government is divided into two arms. The legislative (County Assembly) and the Executive.

This is The County Assembly composed of 40 elected and 16 nominated Members of County Assembly( MCAs). The Assembly is headed by The Speaker. The current speaker is Hon. George M. Ndotto.

The executive arm of County Government of Kitui is Composed of a cabinet. The Cabinet has ten Members of County Executive Committee (MCEC) with each MCEC heading a ministry. The Executive Committee is chaired by The Governor.

The population is mostly made up of people of the Akamba ethnicity. Tharaka people, a section of the Ameru, are also found in Kitui County mainly in Tharaka ward. There is also a growing Somali presence.