The place where iron goods are made – this is the meaning behind the name Kitui. History has told us of the proficiency of the Kamba ironsmiths. Kitui, it seems, was the epicentre of that specialty.
Lying in the eastern part of Kenya with climate best suited to growing crops such as tobacco, sisal, mangoes, maize, cassava and pigeon peas, Kitui has now expanded its agricultural territory with a new crop after the launch of the Ndengu Revolution in 2017! The revolution is an effort by the county government to become a game changer in this staple that is enjoyed all over Kenya. County 015 definitely holds lots of interesting facts. Do you know of Nzambani rock? An imposingly massive outcrop that allows one to view the vistas of Kitui from its semi-flat top, it has many associated legends. Apparently if you circle the rock seven times, you will suddenly change gender, and if you are brave enough to camp next to it at night, you will hear it breathing. Not a place to be toyed with clearly, but for an afternoon’s adventure well worth a visit.
One of the most amazing formations in county 015 has got to be the Yatta Plateau. Stretching for almost 300 kilometres, the plateau is a seemingly unending towering plain – the result of Kenya’s longest uninterrupted lava flow that took place eons ago. It’s the defining feature of Kitui County and it runs its entire length, all the way across several latitudes. Visitors from all over come to visit Tsavo East park where the plateau lies as a long flat expanse by the Galana River.
The county is not just famous for its geographical features though, Kitui has interestingly given us two Chief Justices – the first was Kitili Mwendwa, the first African CJ of Kenya who served from 1968 – 1971; and the second was Willy Mutunga, the first CJ and first President of the Supreme Court of Kenya after the promulgation of the 2010 constitution,serving from 2011 to 2016. If one hopes to be a CJ… it seems the blood of the ironsmiths may be in one’s favour!
