Kanyuambora

Kanyuambora is an administrative division in Eastern Kenya which is commonly known as a "Location". It lies on Latitude: 0° -29' 0 N, Longitude: 37° 43' 0 E and is about 90 miles North East of Nairobi. Kanyuambora is one of the eight locations that form Siakago constituency which is in turn is one of the two constituencies that form Mbeere District.

Etymology

Loosely translated, the name Kanyuambora means "one who drinks honey". The area is named after Kanyuambora hill, which is a conspicuous landmark in the region. The name most probably emanated from an age-old practice by the Ambeere people. During the pre-colonial days, elders would gather at the foot of Kanyuambora hill to drink home-made traditional brew which, in essence, was a concotion of honey and water. During this spree, they would give thanks and pray to their gods. They would also discuss important community matters, laying strategies as well as cursing any neighboring tribes planning to attack the Ambeere.

Kanyuambora is famed for being a pioneer in education in the region. This is perhaps true because it is one of the first places to be visited by Christian Missionaries when they first set foot on the general Embu region. It has arguably produced some of the most educated people in the region. This is epitomized by the fact that three out of the five national Legislative members from the larger Siakago Constituency, formerly known as Embu East, have come from Kanyuambora. They are former MPs Hon. Silvester Mate, Hon. Justin Bedan Muturi and the current legislative representative Hon. Lenny Kivuti Maxwell Mr Maguu Mutie, a former administrative Chief who headed the then Evurore Location once famously said, "were it not for the fact that Kanyuambora's physical location is not as Central as Siakago, the Divisional headquarters, read District Headquarters, would have moved there a long time ago".Mr justino Nyaga Mukangu was chairman the old embu county council during the 1980s and now chairman kanu kanyuambora,He too come from kanyuambora and had a legacy [Mundu eci take] meaning that everyone is guided by his or her own brains. Nyaga Mukangu can in short be described as the kanyuambora father of politics since he is a big ally to Hon speaker national assembly since his early political ages and Hon lenny kivuti. The kanyuambora leaders likes much to be advised by mzee Mukangu. Other kanyuambora famous people includes late senior chief Nyaga mitaro, Dr sabutia, Dr njue mbirika,eng njue njege among others. And Kanyuambora's quest for education got a big boost when, in 2010, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is the head of the Anglican Church announced from England that the Church had settled on Kanyuambora as the site for its first ever Higher education institution in the region. Consequently, the head of the Anglican Church in Kenya, Archbishop Eliud Webukhala, laid the foundation stone, signalling the beginning of the construction of the first ever Kenya Anglican University (KAU) in the country.

Historic Origin

Like most other Kenya Bantus, the Mbeere ethnic group is believed to have initially come from Central Africa during the 15th Century Bantu migration. At first,they settled in the regions around Nyambene hills, north of Mt. Kenya. The Aembu and the Ambeere used to be one people. Their descendants moved from the Nyambene hills area, travelling in the South West direction to settle in the Runyenjes area of what is today Embu district. A legend says that Mwene-Ndega, the first Embu ancestor lived with his wife Nthara in a grove near the present day Runyenjes town. From here, his descendants spread out and occupied other parts of what is Embu district today. The Mbeere split from the Embu after an inter-clan war which the Embu clan won. After the victory, the Embu pushed the Mbeere to the drier and less fertile Kiangombe hills south of the Embu region. Despite this split, the two tribes co-existed peacefully. The Embu tribe often assisted the numerically smaller Mbeere tribe in times of drought, or when attacked by other tribes like the Akamba or Maasai. It was as a result of this alienation that a Kanyuambora came to be, thanks to the people who settled at the foot of Kanyuambora hill.

Climate

Compared to the rest of the region - notably the drier Ishiara in the South - Kanyuambora has a fairly moderate climate, which makes it favourable for growing of Mango trees which virtually saturate the area. Climatewise, it is considered the 'bridge' between the more fertile Embu region in the North and the semi arid section of Mbeere region in the South. Other crops include maize, millet, sorghum, beans, cassava, and yams. They also rear small herds of domestic livestock. Parts of Mbeere District are known to experience drought and subsequent lack of food quite often. The Mbeere therefore often rely on their Embu cousins for food supplies especially in times of drought. Kanyuambora people get their water from the nearby Thuchi river, which serves as the Eastern border between the Mbeere and the Chuka people. Other notable rivers include Rwiria and Ciaivuro both of which feed the bigger Thuchi river.

Religion

Like the Agikuyu and their cousins the Aembu, Kanyuamborans believed that their god, Ngai, lived on the top of Mount Kenya. Prayers and sacrifices were therefore traditionally made to this God. Today, most Kanyuambora people, indeed most Ambeere people are predominantly Christian.

On 20 June 2011, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, visited Kanyuambora to attend the dedication of a site for the building of the proposed Kenya Anglican University (KAU), the first such University in Kenya.

The Ambeere People

Little is documented about the Mbeere People. Mr H.S. Mwaniki Kabeca, a renowned Kenyan Historian, seemed to dwell more on the History of the Embu People in his published work. This is probably because during the time he wrote the books, Mbeere was itself part of Embu. Elsewhere, most accounts indicate that the origins of the Mbeere were the same as those of the Bantu-speaking Kikuyu, Embu, Chuka and Meru peoples, namely that their ancestors moved eastwards from central Africa some time before the sixteenth century, and had settled in the Nyambene Hills. From there, say the same sources, the people moved slowly southwards into the foothills of Mount Kenya, where they settled and gradually acquired their present-day tribal identities.

Some Mbeere elders however believe quite the contrary, stating that some, if not all, of the Mbeere's ancestors came from the east, from the direction of Mombasa on the coast. All four Mbeere elders interviewed by H.S. Kabeca Mwaniki were unanimous that the Mbeere and Embu were once one people. This is strongly indicated by Mbeere oral history, which also includes the Embu ancestor Kembu (often referred to as 'Muembu'). The twist, though, is that his mother - whom the Aembu called Nthara - was called Cianthiga, and was herself the daughter of someone called Mumbeere, or Mbeere. This would indicate that the two tribes are not only related, but that the Mbeere could in fact be considered ancestors of the Embu. This would perhaps explain their close, mutual and amiable ties, which have persisted to the present day.

Notable Kanyuambora personalities

On March 28, 2013, Justin Bedan Njoka Muturi, a Mumbeere from Kanyuambora, was elected the first speaker of the national assembly of the Republic of Kenya under the new constitution which was promulgated in 2010. Mr Muturi was first elected to Parliament in 1999 on a Kanu ticket, a party he actively supported and engaged in its activities. His debut in Parliament followed a by-election that was held in September 1999 following the death of the area MP Mr Silas Ita. He was the chairman of the Kanu parliamentary group serving as the chief whip during his term in Parliament.He successfully defended the seat on a Kanu ticket in the 2002 General Election, but lost it to Mr Lenny Kivuti, his political archival in the 2007 election. Mr Kivuti was elected to Parliament in the 2007 General Election on a Safina party ticket. Mr Muturi, a Jubilee official was a candidate for the Mbeere North parliamentary seat (formerly Siakago) on a TNA ticket in the recently held General Election but lost in the race to Mr Charles Muriuki Njagagua, who contested on an Alliance Party of Kenya party ticket. A lawyer who holds an LL.B degree from the University of Nairobi, Mr Muturi was the opposition chief whip in Parliament from 2003 to 2007 when he lost to Mr Kivuti. He served as the chairman of the Public Investments Committee during the same period. He was also a member of the parliamentary select committee on the constitutional review from 1999 to 2004.He was elected Kanu National Organising Secretary in Nov 2008 and was the PNU constitution committee chairman during the national constitutional talks from 2008-2010.In April, 2011, he was appointed the chairman of the Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD), a civil society group that deals with democracy issues in multi-party politics.

Mr Muturi was formerly a judiciary employee serving as a principal magistrate between 1982 and 1997 before retiring from judicial service. He also served as the chairman the Judges and Magistrates Association during the time. He was a member of the Africa Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption, Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption and the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank New Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi took oath of office yesterday promising to discharge his duties with fairness and impartiality. The House Speaker who succeeds Mr Kenneth Marende started off by declaring that there is little time for any celebrations. On 4 March 2013, Lenny Maxwell Kivuti, a Mumbeere from Kanyuambora, was elected the first ever Senator of Embu county.

References

• http://www.siakago.net/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siakago_Constituency
• http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/articles.php/2084/archbishop-dedicates-site-of-first-anglican-university-in-kenya

Coordinates: 0°28′S 37°43′E / 0.467°S 37.717°E / -0.467; 37.717