Meru North District
Encyclopedia
Meru North 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 South District
, and Tharaka District
.
Meru North District is the home of the Ameru
(Meru) tribe, which is sometimes described as being related to other tribes living around the Mount Kenya
region: the Kikuyu and the Embu people
. The Ameru are generally called "Bantu" people who have been native to the Mt. Kenya area for many, many years — well before colonization of Kenya by Great Britain
in the 19th Century. The people of Meru North District are now predominantly Christian
— Methodist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, and other denominations, reflecting the work of missionaries — with also minorities of India
n descent, who are mainly Hindu
s, and African/Arab descent, who are Muslim
s. Meru North also has some resident Europeans predominantly British in ancestry.
In ralation to the use of Qat, otherwise known as 'miraa' Meru is well known for its production and supply to the rest of the country's major towns.
because of the rich soils in the area, this plant trives wery well and most of the residents benefit from its sale.
Trading in this commodity is a boom, this is particularly seen in the sale of banana leaves by the vendors to miraa traders to cover up the havest from drying.
The district headquarters is in Maua
. The district has four constituencies:
Districts of Kenya
The provinces of Kenya are subdivided into number of districts .- List of districts of Kenya :Following a High Court ruling in September 2009, there are 46 legal districts in Kenya :Coast Province:...
, located in that country's 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...
. In 1992, it was split from the large Meru District, along with Meru Central District, Meru South District
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....
, and Tharaka District
Tharaka District
Tharaka District is one of the seventy-one districts of Kenya located in that country's Eastern Province. The district has an area of 1570 km² and a population of 100,992 , none of them classified as urban...
.
Meru North District is the home of the Ameru
Ameru
The Meru people, or Ameru, are a Bantu ethnic group who mainly inhabit the Meru region of Kenya. They speak Kimîîru language.The Meru people of Kenya should not be mistaken with the Meru of neighboring Tanzania, or Wameru.-Location:...
(Meru) tribe, which is sometimes described as being related to other tribes living around the 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...
region: the Kikuyu and the Embu people
Embu people
The Embu inhabit Embu District in Kenya. They speak Embu language. To the south of Embu are to be found their cousins, the Mbeere people, in Mbeere District. Previously, the Embu and Mbeere were in one district, Embu District, and just referred to as the Embu people. To the east, Embu neighbors...
. The Ameru are generally called "Bantu" people who have been native to the Mt. Kenya area for many, many years — well before colonization of Kenya by Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
in the 19th Century. The people of Meru North District are now predominantly Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
— Methodist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, and other denominations, reflecting the work of missionaries — with also minorities of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n descent, who are mainly Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s, and African/Arab descent, who are Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s. Meru North also has some resident Europeans predominantly British in ancestry.
In ralation to the use of Qat, otherwise known as 'miraa' Meru is well known for its production and supply to the rest of the country's major towns.
because of the rich soils in the area, this plant trives wery well and most of the residents benefit from its sale.
Trading in this commodity is a boom, this is particularly seen in the sale of banana leaves by the vendors to miraa traders to cover up the havest from drying.
| Local authorities (councils) | |||
| Authority | Type | Population* | Urban pop.* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maua Maua Maua is a town in the Eastern Province of Kenya. It is the capital of Meru North District . Maua hosts a municipal council and headquarters Igembe Central, one of 15 administrative divisions in the district.... |
Municipality | 40,820 | 9,763 |
| Nyambene | County | 563,230 | 2,139 |
| Total | - | 604,050 | 11,902 |
| Administrative divisions | |||
| Division | Population* | Urban pop.* | Headquarters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akithi | 43,096 | 0 | |
| Igembe Central | 41,944 | 8,739 | Maua |
| Igembe East | 28,575 | 0 | |
| Igembe North | 58,046 | 0 | |
| Igembe South | 18,209 | 0 | |
| Igembe S/East | 18,700 | 0 | |
| Igembe S/West | 21,791 | 0 | |
| Laare | 65,428 | 1,895 | Lare |
| Mutuati | 56,751 | 0 | Mutuati |
| Ndoleli | 54,730 | 0 | |
| Tigania Central | 45,061 | 0 | |
| Tigania East | 30,944 | 0 | |
| Tigania North | 49,098 | 0 | |
| Tigania West (Kianjai) | 32,266 | 0 | |
| Uringu | 39,003 | 0 | |
| Total | 604,050 | 10,634 | - |
The district headquarters is in Maua
Maua
Maua is a town in the Eastern Province of Kenya. It is the capital of Meru North District . Maua hosts a municipal council and headquarters Igembe Central, one of 15 administrative divisions in the district....
. The district has four constituencies:
- Igembe South ConstituencyIgembe South ConstituencyIgembe South Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of four constituencies of Meru North District. The constituency was established for the 1988 elections. It was known as Igembe Constituency before the 2007 elections....
- Igembe North ConstituencyIgembe North ConstituencyIgembe North Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of four constituencies of Meru North District. The constituency has seven wards, all of which elect councillors for the Nyambene County Council. The constituency was established for the 1988 elections...
- Tigania East ConstituencyTigania East ConstituencyTigania East Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of four constituencies of Meru North District. The constituency has five wards, all of which elect councillors for the Nyambene County Council. The constituency was established for the 1997 elections.- Members of Parliament...
- Tigania West ConstituencyTigania West ConstituencyTigania West Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of four constituencies of Meru North District. The constituency has six wards, all of which elect councillors for the Nyambene County Council. The constituency was established for the 1997 elections.- Members of Parliament...