Kikuyu, Kenya
Encyclopedia
Kikuyu is a town in the Central Province
of Kenya
. The town is located 20 km northwest of central Nairobi
, the capital of Kenya. Kikuyu hosts a town council and an administrative division in the Kiambu District
.
The town is named after Kĩkũyũ people, the dominant tribe in the area. The town itself has an urban population of 4100, but the surrounding densely populated rural territory brings the total population to 165,594.
Due to its geology and rich soil texture, there is much livestock and crop farming. Kikuyu has a railway station on the Uganda Railway
.
In recent times the population has grown to over 600,000 people.
The town is about 20 minutes from Nairobi via a number of routes, including a dual carriage road.
The town has some British colonial history links Like the Right Reverend MusaGitau (Swahili
for Moses Gitau), an African believer in democracy who led among the first Christian faithful during the colonial times. He lived and worked in the town as a reverend and in his honor two schools were named after him.
Many Institutions have developed in this town, including a major eye unit hospital, a Christian university, and many primary and secondary schools.
Recreational facilities such as Sigona Golf Club are available for members and other guests who would also find accomondation in top hotels like the Wida Highway Motel, Kari Holiday Retreat Center, PCEA Lay Training Center etc.
Kikuyu hosts a number of self service stores that stock all that the local customers need.
Transport to the capital and other places is available in form of matatus, minibuses and trains. Rental cars are readily available.
The town has some Banks, ATMs and foreign exchange services.
It should also be noted that Kikuyu has developed into an industrial town and can boast of many factories which manufacture products products that range from metallic to medical practices.
Central Province (Kenya)
Kenya's Central Province covers an area of 13,191 km² and is located to north of Nairobi and west of Mt. Kenya. The province had 4,383,743 inhabitants according to the 2009 census...
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...
. The town is located 20 km northwest of central Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, the capital of Kenya. Kikuyu hosts a town council and an administrative division in the Kiambu District
Kiambu District
Kiambu District is an administrative district in the Central Province of Kenya. Its capital town is Kiambu. The district is adjacent to the northern border of Nairobi and has a population of 744,010....
.
The town is named after Kĩkũyũ people, the dominant tribe in the area. The town itself has an urban population of 4100, but the surrounding densely populated rural territory brings the total population to 165,594.
Due to its geology and rich soil texture, there is much livestock and crop farming. Kikuyu has a railway station on the Uganda Railway
Uganda Railway
The Uganda Railway is a railway system and former railway company linking the interiors of Uganda and Kenya with the Indian Ocean at Mombasa in Kenya.-Origins:...
.
In recent times the population has grown to over 600,000 people.
The town is about 20 minutes from Nairobi via a number of routes, including a dual carriage road.
The town has some British colonial history links Like the Right Reverend MusaGitau (Swahili
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
for Moses Gitau), an African believer in democracy who led among the first Christian faithful during the colonial times. He lived and worked in the town as a reverend and in his honor two schools were named after him.
Many Institutions have developed in this town, including a major eye unit hospital, a Christian university, and many primary and secondary schools.
Schools
- Alliance High School, Alliance Girls High SchoolAlliance Girls High SchoolAlliance Girls' High School is a national girls school with boarding facilities located in the small town of Kikuyu in the Kiambu District of the Central Province of Kenya, 20 km away from the central Nairobi...
, Jeverden Highlands Academy,Thogoto Teachers' College, Musa Gitau Primary School,and Mary Leakey girls Secondary School at the fringes of the Nairobi city boundary, which was started by the famous archeologists leakey family.Some scientific institutions i.e. Kenya Forestry Research Institute, and Kenya Agricultural Research Institute.
Historical Sites
- There are several historical sites within the Town,such as the underground caves dug by indian coollies when constructing the Kenya-Uganda railway.These caves are found just below the town under the railway facing Magana farm;the graves of two explorers who were killed by lions in the 19th century, at kanyariri a few meters from where Fort smith was situated,The undiri swamp a stone throw from the town's CBD, the Anglican mothers Church at Kabete,the PCEA Church of the torch first building at thogoto.
Recreational facilities such as Sigona Golf Club are available for members and other guests who would also find accomondation in top hotels like the Wida Highway Motel, Kari Holiday Retreat Center, PCEA Lay Training Center etc.
Kikuyu hosts a number of self service stores that stock all that the local customers need.
Transport to the capital and other places is available in form of matatus, minibuses and trains. Rental cars are readily available.
The town has some Banks, ATMs and foreign exchange services.
It should also be noted that Kikuyu has developed into an industrial town and can boast of many factories which manufacture products products that range from metallic to medical practices.