The Iconic People of Kitui
It was a beautiful sunny afternoon with no clouds in the bright blue sky. Mutua and Njeri were at the swings ready to fly high with the warm sun on their faces. Njeri had been learning about Kitui County and wondered out loud.
“If Kitui is the Kamba word for ‘where iron goods are made’, does that mean that all iron products in Kenya come from Kitui?” Njeri asked as she got on the swing.
“I am not sure about that, but I do know the best ironsmiths came from Kitui,” Mutua said, getting onto the swing next to Njeri.
As Njeri thought about Mutua’s response, she moved her feet backward and forwards aiming to go as high as possible on the swing.
“Let’s race, who can swing higher?” Njeri said, moving back and then raising her feet to swing higher.
After a while, they slow down.
“I could see all the way across the land from up there” Njeri shouted excitedly once she stopped swinging.
“Me too! It reminds me of a rock my dad told me about, that if you stand on it, you can see all of Kitui.” Mutua said, getting off his swing.
Surprised, Njeri asked, “Really? A rock, not a mountain?”
“Yes, it is a rock called Nzambani,” Mutua said, picking up a smooth-looking stone and turning it around.
“That’s interesting, I would like to go round this rock and see what it really looks like,” Njeri said.
Mutua was alarmed by this and stopped to face Njeri. “No! You do not want to do that unless you want to suddenly become a boy!”
“What do you mean to become a boy? Is the rock magical?” Njeri asked.
“There is a myth about the rock that if you go round it seven times your gender will change?” Mutua explained.
“That’s possible?” Njeri asked in disbelief.
“Well, it’s just a myth. They also believe that you can hear the rock breath at night,” Mutua said, dropping the stone.
“Well that’s interesting for sure, I still want to see it, maybe your dad can take us some time. How about non-myths about Kitui?” Njeri asked.
“Kitui is big on farming, they grow tobacco, sisal, mangoes, maize, cassava, pigeon peas and the most famous ndengu also called green grams in English” Mutua said.
Mutua continued with enthusiasm, “ To top all that off, Kitui is home to the world’s longest lava flow, the YATTA PLATEAU!”
“OH wow I have heard of it, isn’t it in the Tsavo National park? Njeri asked.
“Yes, that’s the one. It is about 300 Km long and was formed from the lava of the Ol Doinyo Sabuk Mountain when it erupted,” Mutua replied.
Njeri is impressed by this and imagines that with the Yatta plateau being that wide surely it can be seen from far. Mutua confirmed that indeed it was very visible from Tsavo East.
“Hmmm, Kitui has some interesting people too, like the first African Chief Justice Kitili Mwendwa?” Njeri said.
“Don’t forget the president of the Supreme Court of Kenya Willy Mutunga. I guess Kituians just love the law!” Mutua laughingly said.
Njeri joined in the laughter as they walked home.
