Embu people
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Embu people are concentrated in Embu District in Kenya. To the south of Embu are to be found their cousins, the Mbeere People, in Mbeere District. Previously, the Embu and Mbeere were in one district, Embu District, and just referred to as the Embu people. To the east, Embu neighbors are the Kikuyu in Kirinyaga and Nyeri districts. The Meru people in Meru South District border Embu in the east.
Embu mythology claims that the Embu people originated from Mbue Njeru in the interior of Embu, close to Runyenjes town. The mythology claims that God (Ngai) created Mwenendega and gave him a beautiful wife by the famous Mbue Njeru waterfall — hence her name "Ciurunji". The couple was blessed with wealth and their descendants populated the rest of Embu.
Judging by historical accounts, the Embu are believed to have migrated from the Congo Basin together with their close relatives; the Kikuyu and Meru People. The migration was perhaps due to conflicts there, such as slavery. It is believed that they migrated as far as the Kenyan Coast, since the Meru elders would refer to Mpwa (Pwani or Coast) as their orgin. The conflicts their, perhaps slave trade by Arabs, again forced them to retreat north east to the interior of Africa and settled by slopes of Mt. Kenya. They were to refer this location as the place of the Lord, the owner of ostriches — hence the name "Mwenenyaga".
Some prominent Embus are:
- Honorable doctor jeremiah joseph Mwaniki Nyagah(longest serving cabinet minister)E.G.H,
- Honorable Joseph Nyagah MP EGH son of Jermiah Nyagah,
- Honorable Norman Nyagah MP EGH Son of Jeremiah Nyagah,
- Nahashon Nyagah EGH former Central bank of Kenya Governor son of Jermiah Nyagah,
- Jeremiah Mwaniki Nyagah( Jerry)President Kenya youth coalition Network International KYCNI, GRANDSON OF JEREMIAH NYAGAH,
- Kithinji Kiragu
- John Njue (Archbishop of Catholic Nyeri Dioceses)
- The late Kibariki (Father to Bishop John Njue and a veteran of WWI)
- Njeru Ndwiga (Minister of Coorperatives)
- Bishop Njiru of Meru Catholic Dioceses
- Muchangi Kiragu (Business Man and Stock Broker)
- Dr. Nguuri (Ph.D, Geophysics)
- The late Njagi wa Muthangato
- The late Kwenja Muthang'ato
- Mbarire (Assistant Minister for Youth)
- Mvuria Kwenja(Prominent Coffee Farmer)
- Mwarari Mvuria
- Mumanthi Kwenja Mvuria (Engineer in the global village)
- Munyi wa Kiragu
- Ndogo
- Kagoce
- Kagau
- Maina Highway (Hon. Embu)
- Tunjenge(Hon. Embu)
- Munene Kiura Kwenja (Research and Development Consultant)
- Kindaruma (Honarary Embu, Indian Business Man)
