| Machakos County | |
| Settlement Type: | County |
| Flag Size: | 120px |
| Motto: | "the Place to be" |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Kenya |
| Country: | Kenya |
| Seat Type: | Capital |
| Seat: | Machakos |
| Largest Town: | Athi River |
| Lother Towns: | Kangundo |
| Leader Title: | Governor |
| Leader Name: | Wavinya Ndeti |
| Leader Title2: | Speaker |
| Leader Name2: | Ann Kiusya |
| Leader Title3: | Senator |
| Leader Name3: | Agnes Kavindu Muthama |
| Leader Title4: | Women Representative |
| Leader Name4: | Joyce kamene |
| Leader Title5: | Deputy Governor |
| Leader Name5: | Francis Maliti |
| Leader Title6: | County Commissioner |
| Leader Name6: | Esther Maina |
| Leader Title7: | County Police Commander |
| Leader Name7: | John Karanja |
| Established Title: | Formed |
| Established Date: | 4 March 2013 |
| Area Total Km2: | 6,043 |
| Population As Of: | 2019 |
| Population Total: | 1,421,932 |
| Population Metro: | 150,041 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | EAT |
| Utc Offset: | +3 |
| Utc Offset Dst: | +3 |
| Coordinates: | -1.2333°N 60°W |
| Elevation M: | 1138 |
| Website: | http://machakos.go.ke |
Machakos County is one of the 47 counties of Kenya, which came into being because of the devolved system of governance occasioned by the 2010 constitution of Kenya. The country's first administrative headquarters are in Machakos Town, which is the largest town in the county. The county had a population of 1,421,932 as of 2019. The county borders Nairobi and Kiambu counties to the west, Embu to the north, Kitui to the east, Makueni to the south, Kajiado to the south west, and Muranga and Kirinyaga to the north west.
Religion in Machakos County [1]
| Religion (2019 Census) | Number |
|---|---|
| Catholicism | 500,115 |
| 582,456 | |
| 217,122 | |
| 55,175 | |
| Orthodox | 2,405 |
| Other Christian | 23,935 |
| Islam | 12,984 |
| 976 | |
| Traditionists | 987 |
| Other | 6900 |
| No Religion/Atheist | 9,384 |
| Don't Know | 1,377 |
| Not Stated | 166 |
The Machakos County Government is composed of two arms, the County Executive and the County Assembly. County Executive is headed by a Governor. The office of the Governor of Machakos was created on 27 March 2013. Alfred Mutua, served as the inaugural holder of the office. following his election in 2012. He was re-elected in the 2017 general elections.[2] The Machakos County Assembly is headed by a Speaker elected by its members. The incumbent Speaker is Mrs. Florence Mwangangi.
Hon Wavinya Ndeti was in 2022 elected as the second governor of Machakos County, becoming the first female governor in the county and also among the 8 female governors that were historically elected in the 2022 elections, an historic rise from the 3 that were elected in the 2017 elections.
Office of the Governor is located at White House along Peoples Park road, Miwani area in Machakos town environs. The first Director of Administration and Special Programmes and White House Administrator was Dr. Dominic Musembi PhD.
There are many primary schools in Machakos County, including Machakos Primary School, Kathiini primary School and Machakos Academy.
Machakos County has giant secondary schools such as Machakos School (boys), Machakos Girls' School, Mumbuni Boys' Secondary School, Mumbuni Girls' Secondary School, Masii Boys' Secondary School, Tala Girls' School, Matungulu Girls' High School, Mwala School,ST. Teresa Mwala Girls, Kitulu Day Secondary School and Kabaa High School (boys), which boasts of a castle which was left behind by Christian missionaries. This castle is now a museum.
Kwanthanze Secondary School, which is also found in Machakos County, is famous for its volleyball championship in the country.
Universities and colleges within Machakos County include Machakos University[3] Scott Christian University, South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU), St. Paul's University, Kenya Institute of Management, African Training Center for Research and Technology,[4] Century Park College, Machakos Institute of Technology, Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) Machakos campus and Machakos Technical Training Institute for the Blind.
The local climate is semi-arid with hilly terrain and an altitude of 1000 to 2100 metres above sea level.
Tourist-related activities include camping, hiking safaris, ecotourism and cultural tourism, dance and music festivals.[2]
Subsistence agriculture is mostly practiced with maize and drought-resistant crops such as sorghum and millet being grown due to the area's semi-arid state. The county also plays host to the open air market concept with major market days where large amounts of produce are traded. Fruits, vegetables and other food stuffs like maize and beans are sold in these markets.[2]
The county is banking on projects such as the Konza Technology City, a new Machakos City[5] and its proximity to Nairobi County to boost output in the economy.
Source: USAid Kenya
| Local authorities (councils) | ||||
| Authority | Type | Population* | Urban pop.* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Municipality | 144,109 | 28,891 | ||
| Municipality | 48,260 | 22,167 | ||
| Town | 187,389 | 9,122 | ||
| Town | 44,922 | 5,321 | ||
| County | 481,964 | 9,088 | ||
| Administrative divisions | ||||
| Division | Population* | Urban pop.* | Headquarters | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalama | 41,000 | 0 | ||
| Kangundo | 91,238 | 3,786 | Kangundo | |
| Kathiani | 95,096 | 2,929 | Mitaboni | |
| Machakos Central | 143274 | 26,438 | Machakos | |
| Masinga | 74,478 | 654 | Masinga | |
| 99,731 | 4,734 | Tala | ||
| Mavoko | 48,936 | 19,177 | Athi River | |
| Mwala | 89,211 | 2,708 | ||
| Ndithini | 32,358 | 0 | ||
| Yathui | 65,567 | 481 | Wamunyu | |
| Yatta | 125,755 | 4913 | Matuu | |
The county has eight constituencies:
Northern regions of Machakos County are within Greater Nairobi which consists of 4 out of 47 counties in Kenya, but the area generates about 60% of the nation's wealth.[6] [7]
Source: OpenDataKenya
Source: OpenDataKenya Worldbank
Source: OpenDataKenya
Source: OpenDataKenya Worldbank