Tharaka Nithi County

History

In 1992 Meru District, sometimes called "Greater Meru" was broken up into four pieces, Meru Central, Meru North, Meru South and Tharaka; with Meru South (also known as Nithi District) combined with Tharaka into a new Tharaka-Nithi District. In 1998, the Tharaka Nithi District was split into two districts, Nithi and Tharaka, but the Kenya Supreme Court decision of 2009 declared that split unconstitutional. Subsequently, under the revised constitution of 2010, Tharaka-Nithi became a county.

County Headquarters

The county headquarters is at Kathwana, a site that is at the intersection of the three constituencies (Maara, Tharaka and Chuka/Igamba-ngo'mbe. The headquarters is on the Mate Road, a recently tarmacked road that runs through Ena, Ishiara, Ciakariga, Tunyai, to Meru and Nkubu. The location of the County headquarters was by consensus by all the communities of the County. If well planned it can turn out to be a very beautiful city. Before the decision to locate the headquarters at Kathwana was settled, there was a disagreement between leaders from the region. The disagreement has been persisting even as recent as last year(2016) when the deputy president H.e William Ruto referred to Chuka town as the county headquarter in an official tour of the county. This was despite the president having earlier assented to a bill earmarking all county headquarters and gazetted.

Politics

Tharaka Nithi County presently has 3 constituencies in the 11th Parliament of the Republic of Kenya.They are Maara Constitutuency - Represented by Hon. Japheth Kareke Mbiuki Chuka-Igambang'ombe Constituency - Represented by Hon. patrick munene Tharaka Constituency - Represented by Hon. george Gitonga Murugara

The incumbent Senator, Hon. Prof Kindiki Kithure doubles up as the Senate Majority leader and the County member of parliament(Women Representative) is Hon. Beatrice Nkatha

Education

The county has many secondary schools,its has two National schools; Chogoria girls High school, Ikuu boys, there other county schools namely Chuka boys, Chogoria boys, Muthambi girls, Kajiunduthi High School among others. the county was also the first in the former eastern province to host a public chartered university; Chuka University

Economy

Like Other Counties surrounding Mount Kenya, the primary economic activities in Tharaka-Nithi County are tea and coffee planting, subsistence dairy farming,as well as keeping of other livestock such as goats and sheep.

Vision

to be a competitive,dynamic,environmental friendly county for quality education advancement and investment,economically stable and enrichment of innovation and creativity in all fields.

Prominent Personalities

The County's most notable 'son' is the late Bernard Mate, an active politician in Kenya's independence struggle, who resided in Majira, near Chogoria. He represented Central in the LegCo of 1957, as well as being a member of parliament in the 1960s and 1970s.hon james njeru giturianduu former assistant minister in mzee kenyatta government..hon njagi wakiondo...the former paramount senior chief kigatira among others