Mutira Mission: An African Church Comes of Age in Kirinyaga, Kenya (1912-2012)

1. Kirinyaga County

Kirinyaga County CHAPTER ONE Kirinyaga County Introduction M utira Mission Centre is situated in Kirinyaga County,1 Kirinyaga Central District, Mutira location. In turn, Kirinyaga County has five administrative Districts: Kirinyaga Central, Kirinyaga West, Kirinyaga North, Kirinyaga South and Kirinyaga East. Kirinyaga County covers a total area of 1.478 km2 and lies between latitudes 0º1º and º40º South and Longitudes 37º and 38º East. It is situated in the eastern side of the former Central Province; and her neighbouring Counties include: Embu on the eastern side; Nyeri and Murang’a on its Western side; and Mt. Kenya forest on its Northern side. Like her neighbouring Embu County, Kirinyaga is situated in the Southern slopes of Mt. Kenya, the highest mountain in Kenya, and the second largest in ________________________________ 1 Following the August 4, 2010 national referendum and subsequent promulgation of the new constitution, Kenya, which was previously made of eight provinces (Central, Eastern, Western, Nyanza, North Eastern, Coast, Rift Valley and Nairobi), was now sub-divided into 47 counties. That is, Kirinyaga, Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, Tana River, Lamu, Taita/ Taveta, Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Isiolo, Meru, Tharaka-Nithi, Embu, Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, Nyandarua, Nyeri, Murang’a, Kiambu, Turkana, West Pokot, Samburu, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo/ Marakwet, Nandi, Baringo, Laikipia, Nakuru, Narok, Kajiado, Kericho, Bomet, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, Busia, Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii, Nyamira and Nairobi City. Mutira Mission Africa. The upper parts of the county receive abundant rainfall (over 63" per annum) and have fertile volcanic soil. In this section, tea and coffee are grown as cash crops. In the lower “star grass” (refering to agro ecological) zone (middle zone), maize and beans grow well and dairy cattle are kept. In the “lower down”, the Mwea plains, which were once dry wastelands, booming horticultural activities are currently the order of the day. The change from mere dry wastelands came about as a result of an irrigation scheme that tapped water from rivers Nyamindi, Thiba and Rupingazi.These rivers drain their water to Tana River, which is the largest river in Kenya. Apart from French Beans, Onions, Tomatoes, Maize, Beans, Bananas, Peas and Cotton, 75% of Kenya’s rice is grown in this area.Additionally, herds of cattle and goats are also kept. Despite favourable environment for agriculture, farming is limited to small-scale production, where each peasant has an average of 2 acres of land, with a few exceptions. Mutira is located in the present day Kirinyaga Central District. Climate andAgriculture As Jean Davison notes, Kirinyaga County is agriculturally productive because of its rich volcanic soil, a sufficient water supply, and favourable climate.2 As noted above, this volcanic soil is conducive to the growing of coffee and tea. Characteristically, there are two seasons for rain: mbura ya njahi (the pigeon pea rains or Long Rains) falling between March and June and mbura ya mwere (the millet rains or Short Rains) between October and early December. Nevertheless, there are variations in rainfall, probably as a part of global warming. In particular, Kenya in 1984 experienced ngaragu ya kathirikari (semi-government hunger and famine). In turn, kathirikari refers to the yellow maize eaten at this time that was issued by the government after a massive drought, as long rains ______________________________________ 2 Jean Davison, Voices from Mutira: Change in the Lives of Rural Gikuyu Women, 1910-1995 (London: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1996), 24. 8 Kirinyaga County failed to fall. Conversely, 1941, 1961, 1997, and 2001 experienced massive and erratic heavy down pour (mbura ya maburiko) note El Nino that badly destroyed the infrastructures. Kirinyaga County is located between 1 and 08 degrees south of the equator.According to the Central Bureau of Statistics of Kenya, Kirinyaga County (then a District) had an average population density in 1990 at 312 people per square kilometre. The primary ethnic group is the Kikuyu (also called Gikuyu). In 1981, a combination of Mutira and Kanyeki-ini locations, which formed the old Mutira location, had 62, 781 females and 57, 603 males. Statistically, this shows that the number of women is larger than that of men.This trend is prevalent even in the twenty-first century. Why? Immigrant labor also played a role. While the answer could simply be described as a mere act of God, it is imperative to appreciate the recklessness of a boy-child which could easily lead to early deaths. In particular, the careless consumption of...