Chuka, Kenya
Encyclopedia
Chuka is a town in Meru South District
of Kenya
about 70Km South Of Meru Town. It falls within Eastern Province
and the people of the area are Kimeru
speaking. It is on the eastern slopes of Mount Kenya
.
Chuka Town is chiefly occupied by the Chuka people,one of the nine Meru
dialect Speakers. They dwell on the south-eastern slopes of Mt. Kenya, and cover the area between the Thuci River in the south, and the Nithi River in the north. It is a common tradition with the Chuka that they have always been in the forests of Mt. Kenya hence they moved down to their present abode. Other versions of the Chuka migratory tradition say that they came out from Mbwa with the other Meru. The Chuka are believed to have sprung from the Tharaka,another of the meru subtibes. They have also a form of blood-brotherhood with the Igembe and the Tigania of the northern meru
dialects.
On the other hand there are some customs, as, for instance, the method of circumcision, by which the Chuka are similar to the Embu. The Chuka are primarily Meru who, having climbed the first slopes of Mt. Kenya, clearing the forest for cultivation (even at present the fields of the Chuka are on the lower section of their country), mixed with the aboriginal inhabitants of the forest and established some kind of contact with the Embu. These aboriginal forest inhabitants seem to have been the Gumba, now only remembered by some traditions and described as very small people. It seems certain that they were a pygmy race.
Some even say that the Chuka may have come from the Coast about A.D. 1300. Their exodus was provoked by an invasion from Somalia, which drove away the people living round Shungwaya, north of Malindi.
Of the Meru District, the Chuka were those who have suffered most the impact and violence of Mau Mau
rebellion. During the Emergency they were the only Meru to be forcibly settled into villages of the Kikuyu and Embu pattern. Later, they were allowed to return to their fields, as before.
that was led by current President Mwai Kibaki
from 1992 to 2002. When NARC
was formed in 2002, the population shifted their allegiance to NARC. If follow then that the local residents shifted to PNU in the contested 2007 elections and overwhelmingly voted for the PNU candidate - Mwai Kibaki. In the four elections that Kibaki contested, the area overwhelmingly supported him.
The Chuka people largely practice Christianity with a small minority as Muslims and traditional religions. According to Zaphania Samuel Mumbere, a scholar and an authority in the Chukan's customs, traditions and ways of life, the Chuka people were a close knit society that kept the spirit of the community alive by oral narrations and practices that were passed down generations.
Chuka is part of Nithi Constituency
. In the 2007 General Elections KANU candidate Japhet Kareke Mbiuki
was elected as the MP for Nithi.
Meru South District
Meru South District is one of the seventy-one districts of Kenya, located in that country's Eastern Province. In 1992, it was split from the large Meru District, along with Meru Central District, Meru North District, and Tharaka District....
of Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
about 70Km South Of Meru Town. It falls within Eastern Province
Eastern Province (Kenya)
The Eastern Province of Kenya is one of seven regions of the country. Its northern boundary is with Ethiopia; the North Eastern Province and Coast Province lie to the east and south; and the remainder of Kenya's provinces, including Central Province, run along its western border. The provincial...
and the people of the area are Kimeru
Kimeru
Kimeru Kimeru Kimeru (most often written either in Romaji (Kimeru) or with Katakana (キメル), but has been written as きめる (Hiragana) and (決める) (Kanji), (June 17, 1980) is a Japanese pop musician, singer, and stage actor. He is most famous for his work with The Prince of Tennis...
speaking. It is on the eastern slopes of Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second-highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian , Nelion and Point Lenana . Mount Kenya is located in central Kenya, just south of the equator, around north-northeast of the capital Nairobi...
.
Chuka Town is chiefly occupied by the Chuka people,one of the nine Meru
Meru language
Meru is the language spoken by the Meru people who live on the Eastern and Northern slopes of Mount Kenya, Kenya, Africa and on the Nyambene ranges. They settled in this area after centuries of migration from the north.-Tradition:...
dialect Speakers. They dwell on the south-eastern slopes of Mt. Kenya, and cover the area between the Thuci River in the south, and the Nithi River in the north. It is a common tradition with the Chuka that they have always been in the forests of Mt. Kenya hence they moved down to their present abode. Other versions of the Chuka migratory tradition say that they came out from Mbwa with the other Meru. The Chuka are believed to have sprung from the Tharaka,another of the meru subtibes. They have also a form of blood-brotherhood with the Igembe and the Tigania of the northern meru
Meru language
Meru is the language spoken by the Meru people who live on the Eastern and Northern slopes of Mount Kenya, Kenya, Africa and on the Nyambene ranges. They settled in this area after centuries of migration from the north.-Tradition:...
dialects.
On the other hand there are some customs, as, for instance, the method of circumcision, by which the Chuka are similar to the Embu. The Chuka are primarily Meru who, having climbed the first slopes of Mt. Kenya, clearing the forest for cultivation (even at present the fields of the Chuka are on the lower section of their country), mixed with the aboriginal inhabitants of the forest and established some kind of contact with the Embu. These aboriginal forest inhabitants seem to have been the Gumba, now only remembered by some traditions and described as very small people. It seems certain that they were a pygmy race.
Some even say that the Chuka may have come from the Coast about A.D. 1300. Their exodus was provoked by an invasion from Somalia, which drove away the people living round Shungwaya, north of Malindi.
Of the Meru District, the Chuka were those who have suffered most the impact and violence of Mau Mau
rebellion. During the Emergency they were the only Meru to be forcibly settled into villages of the Kikuyu and Embu pattern. Later, they were allowed to return to their fields, as before.
Politics
Chuka and the surrounding area politics were dominated by the Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (Kenya)
The Democratic Party is a conservative political party in Kenya.At the last legislative elections, 27 December 2002, the party was a partner in the National Rainbow Coalition, that won 56.1% of the popular vote and 125 out of 210 elected seats. The party itself took 36 of these seats...
that was led by current President Mwai Kibaki
Mwai Kibaki
Mwai Kibaki is the current and third President of the republic of Kenya.Kibaki was previously Vice President of Kenya for ten years from 1978–1988 and also held cabinet ministerial positions, including a widely acclaimed stint as Minister for Finance , Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for...
from 1992 to 2002. When NARC
National Rainbow Coalition
The National Rainbow Coalition was a coalition of Kenyan political parties in power from 2002 and 2005 when it fell apart in a controversy between its wings about a constitutional referendum.-Formation:...
was formed in 2002, the population shifted their allegiance to NARC. If follow then that the local residents shifted to PNU in the contested 2007 elections and overwhelmingly voted for the PNU candidate - Mwai Kibaki. In the four elections that Kibaki contested, the area overwhelmingly supported him.
The Chuka people largely practice Christianity with a small minority as Muslims and traditional religions. According to Zaphania Samuel Mumbere, a scholar and an authority in the Chukan's customs, traditions and ways of life, the Chuka people were a close knit society that kept the spirit of the community alive by oral narrations and practices that were passed down generations.
Chuka is part of Nithi Constituency
Nithi Constituency
Nithi Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is the only constituency in Meru South District. The constituency was established for the 1988 elections. It is among the few constituencies in Kenya that have embraced technology. More information on the constituency can be viewed on the...
. In the 2007 General Elections KANU candidate Japhet Kareke Mbiuki
Japhet Kareke Mbiuki
Mbiuki Japhet Kareke is a Kenyan politician. He belongs to the Kenya African National Union and was elected to represent the Nithi Constituency in the National Assembly of Kenya since the Kenyan parliamentary election, 2007.-References:...
was elected as the MP for Nithi.