Kitui County

The Edge of Ukambani

A Summa Digest of Kitui County

The last of the highlands of Kenya end in the waxed-lyrical tableland of Yatta Plateau, and beyond this there is a very gradual slope which, roughly speaking, extends for some 200 miles to the coast. A great part of this huge tract of land lying betwixt the River Athi and Tana River is part of Kitui County. Located in the Eastern Region of Kenya, and the sixth-largest county by size at a jumbo 30,496 km2, Kitui County borders Tana River, Taita Taveta, Makueni, Machakos, Embu, Tharaka-Nithi, and Meru. The name as far as the whole country is concerned is not a native one, but is taken from the name of the old Government station Kitui.

The greater part of the extensive Kitui County, synonymous with the tremendous counties of Kenya, all in the semi-arid block, is uninhabited. The populated area forms a comparatively narrow strip scarcely 50 miles broad, stretching north and south of Kitui town from the Tana to the Athi River, a distance of about 160 miles. The most easterly settlements lie about 35 miles from the Kitui town, and mark the boundary of a vast stretch of bush country; uninhabited. To a great extent, the nature of most parts of Kitui County could be described as a rocky plain, sloping from west to east, excepting Yatta Plateau and the Kitui Hills in the central region.

Kitui stands on a low spur at the south-western end of the Kitui Hills which rise to over 5,000 ft. The town itself lies at an altitude of no more than 3,800 ft. The low lying comparatively flat to peneplain tropical bushland, extending from Kitui Hills eastwards to Tana River, is generally less than 2,400 feet asl. Kitui town lies at an altitude of some 3,750 feet, but east of that again for a few miles there is a steep drop down to a level of about 2,000 feet, and then comes a seemingly endless plain which is the final slope down to the coast. North and south of Kitui town the land also falls to an altitude of about 2,000 feet, though the descent is less abrupt.

The principal line of communication in Kitui County is the A3 Thika-Liboi Road linking Thika with Kitui towns, 131 km away, while a second, but less engaged, road meets the A109 Nairobi-Mombasa Road at Kibwezi, 144 km south of Kitui town – which lies some 20 miles east of the Yatta Plateau. The northern part of Kitui County is best approached via the A3 which runs east to west about 20 km outside the northern boundary – through Matuu, Kithyoko, Mwingi and Mbuvi Towns – and from which its two secondary roads extend to Mui and Nuu Hills.

As far as beautiful roads go in Kenya, the stretch of road just outside Kitui town along B7 Kitui-Ikutha-Kibwezi Road is one to behold. The rarely-busy-road is skirted on either sides with lofty baobabs, forming a pleasing and monumental arched roadway. Looked up to as the ‘trees of life’, or again as ‘Africa’s wooden elephants’, the cherished and long-lived baobab trees, which are all-embracing across Kitui County, have recently become a source of super-foods. Residents of Kitui County are keenly innovating methods to convert the baobabs edible fruits to a popular sweet candy locally known as Mabuyu and also using the baobab’s vitamin rich pulp as a supplement. These gigantic trees dwarf other plants on farms along the A109 Mombasa-Nairobi Road as you approach Kibwezi town.

The southern part of Kitui County is served via Kitui, where several fairly good roads radiate out of west to Machakos town, by the C97 Mulutu-Wamunyu-Masii-Machakos Road. East and north it is served by C96 Kitui-Zombe-Ikoo-Mwingi Road; and east and south via the Kitui-Zombe-Nguuni-Ikutha Road. In context, these roads traverse sizable distances across the long and bulbous Kitui County which is about 125 km at its widest and almost 300 km north to south.

Moreover, a combination of high temperature and low rainfall renders cultivation very difficult, and the greater part of the area is covered with Aristida grasses, and stunted thorn bush mainly composed of species of the iconic Acacia and rooted Commiphora strewn with towering Baobab. In stack contrast, in the areas along the banks of Tana, Ura, Tiva and Galana Rivers the vegetation is riverine embodied by flourishing green belts of palms. The western hilly temperate region around Kitui naturally supports the densest population of its native Akamba community.

Only 16% of the land Kitui County is arable with the remainder consisting of marginal land and arid areas. Still and all, the huge potential mineralogy of the county is listed as including possible deposits of coal, gypsum, magnisite, gold, asbestos, garnet, tormaline, vanadium and silica. Kitui County has three large National Reserves along its extreme frontiers – Mwingi National Reserve (north), South Kitui National Reserve (east) and parts of Tsavo East National Park (south).

These all offer great opportunities for game viewing and exploring little-travelled and unfamiliar horizons. Tsavo, the largest, covers almost 6369 km2 and the entire southern quarter of Kitui County. In essence, the reserves cover almost 35% the county. Athi-Galana-Sabaki River traversing it from north to south also forms its natural western boundary with Makueni County. Uniquely situated between Athi-Galana-Sabaki and Tiva River and also traversing it from north to south is the Yatta Plateau, the most prominent landform; a 210 km long unbroken lava upland ridge.

Salient Features of Kitui County

County Number 15
Area – 30496 km2
Altitude – 400 to 800 ms
Major Towns – Kitui, Mwingi, Mutomo
Borders – T. River, Taveta, Meru, Embu Tharaka, Makueni, Machakos

Kitui County is a hidden gem for travelers seeking adventure, culture, and nature. With better infrastructure and marketing, it could become a key destination in Kenya’s tourism map. Known for its arid and semi-arid landscapes, rich Kamba culture, and untapped tourism potential, it is home to many unique attractions, hillscapes, scenic rock formations and valleys ideal for hiking and photography.

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Explore Destinations in Kitui County

A Guide to Kitui County

A Summa Digest of Kitui

About Kitui Way Back When

33 Destinations in Kitui County, arranged as one would visit these - north to south - with the aid of in-depth narratives, images, strip maps and distance chart:

Revelation Recreational Park, Kanyonyoo Wildlife Conservancy, B2 Yatta Ranch, Ukasi Hill, Mumoni Hill Forest Reserve, Muvaroa Forest Reserve, Gai (Muruu) Rock, Kiambere Dam, Mwingi National Reserve, Adamson Bridge, Ngomeni Rock, Kitui War Monument, Kitui Villa, Kalundu Public Park, Kitui Hills, Nzambani Rock, Ikoo Viewpoint, Mutito Hills, Mui Basin, Nuu Hills, Mutomo Hill Sanctuary, Mutomo Reptile Park, South Kitui National Reserve, AIC Ikutha, Tsavo East National Park, Athi-Galana River, Kanderi Swamp, Yatta Plateau, Ithumba Camp, Ithumba Hill Camp, The Man-eaters Bridge, Man-eaters Camp

Know More About Kitui County: Its Geography, Land-Use, Highlights, Population, Roads - with the aid of a distance chart, Airports, Climate & National Monuments

What’s The Lay Of The Land in C.15?

Kitui County has a low-lying topography with arid and semi-arid climates. The general landscape of Kitui is flat with a plain that gently rolls down towards the east.

What’s The Air Like In Kitui?

Climate in Kitui is generally hot and dry with little rainfall. Temperatures are high year-round, ranging between 14°C-34°C. The hotter months are September, October, January.