Meru, Kenya

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Meru is a town in Eastern Kenya. With an urban population of 42,677 (1999 census [1]), is located on the Kathita River, on the northeast slopes of Mount Kenya. It is situated about five miles north of the equator, at approximately 5,000 feet altitude, in an area of mixed forest and clearings, small towns, villages, and rural farms. Meru town is headquarters of the Meru Central District and is mainly populated by people of the Meru Tribe.

The town is accessible by paved road, whether from the south around the east side of Mount Kenya, via Embu, or from the northwest around the west and north side of Mount Kenya, via Nanyuki and Timau (As of February 2004, the road to Meru via Nanyuki was still fairly rough). Meru District is a jumping-off place for Samburu and Buffalo Springs National Reserves and Lewa Downs, all some distance north of Meru, with Samburu and Buffalo Springs via Isiolo, and Meru National Park, to the northeast of Meru, via Maua in the Nyambeni Hills.

Meru Town is a business, agricultural and educational center for the northeast of Kenya. It has banks and hotels, markets and transportation terminals. Coffee, tea, timber, cattle, dairy products, "french" beans and many other manner of products are produced in Meru District. In addition there are primary and secondary schools, including the Meru High School and Kaaga Girls School, two leading Kenyan secondary educational institutions. Emory University has a partnership with the Meru High School to share computers, books, and science equipment in memory of George Brumley. There are also technical schools, the Meru Technical Institute and the Meru College of Technology being the major ones. In addition, there are teacher training colleges and the recently developed Kenya Methodist University at Meru, known as KEMU.

It is an important coffee producing area. It is virtually all smallholder-grown, and much of it shade-grown. Meru's coffee crops come twice a year, corresponding to the two rainy seasons, but the main crop in Meru comes at a somewhat different time than that elsewhere in Kenya, due to different weather patterns on the northeast slopes of Mt. Kenya and the Nyambenis. It is all grown at high-altitudes in the volcanic soils of the district. It is processed by farmer cooperatives which own coffee factories near the farmers.

Meru is the prime Miraa (Khat) growing area in Kenya. Many farmers prefer miraa since it is financially lucrative to produce.

The Meru National Museum lies in the town.

Hon. Justice (Rtd) Aaron Ringera, current Director Kenya Anti Corruption Commission (KACC), Kenya [2]
Francis Muthaura, current Head of Public Service & Secretary of the Cabinet, Kenya.
Edward H Ntalami, current Chief Executive, Capital Markets Authority, Kenya.
David Mwiraria, former Finance Minister, Kenya.
Kiraitu Murungi, current Minister of Energy, Kenya.
Samuel Kobia, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC). [3]