Exotic Kenya » Kitui

Escorts from Kitui

Covering an area of about 30,496 km2, Kitui County is located 170Km to the South East of Nairobi City.

Kitui County shares its borders with seven counties Tharaka-Nithi 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.

As per the last census in 2019, Kitui had a population of 1,147,200 people. Kamba language (also known as Kikamba) which belongs to the Bantu branch of the Niger-Congo language family, is the dominant language here.

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

Origin

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.

The Akamba are still known for their fine work in wood carving, basketry and pottery and the products . Their artistic inclination is evidenced in the sculpture work that is on display in many craft shops and galleries in the major cities and towns of Kenya.

The most famous son of Kitui has to be ‘Chief Kivoi’ (born in the 1780s). He was a Kamba long Distance trader who lived in the present-day Kitui. He is best known for guiding the first Europeans to reach the interior of the area of present-day Kenya where the German missionaries Johann Ludwig Krapf and Johannes Rebmann of the Anglican Church Missionary Society (CMS), in 1849, “discovered” Mount Kenya. 

Chief Kivoi interacted with Arabs at the coast and Voi town was named after him because that was one of his stop-overs towns where caravans settled before entered into the coastal town of Mombasa. 

Sights and sounds in Kitui

One of the largest Rock outcrops in Kenya is found in Kitui. Locally known as “Ivia ya Nzambani” it is situated past Kitui Town, about 1 km from Chuluni Market.

The Nzambani Rock is the source for many tales and myths. Activities here include hiking and rock climbing.

South Kitui National Reserve, Mwingi National Reserve, Ikoo Valley and Ngomeni Rock Catchment are also popular destinations for local and international tourists.