Kibwezi
Encyclopedia
Kibwezi is a town in Makueni District
, Eastern Province
, Kenya
.
Kibwezi town is the headquarters of Kibwezi division, one of 15 administrative divisions
in Makueni District. The division has a population of 80,236, of whom 4,695 are classified urban. The division has four locations
: Kikumbulyu, Kinyambu, Masongaleni and Utithi . Kibwezi town is located within Kikumbulyu location.
Kibwezi is also name for Kibwezi Constituency
, the local electoral constituency
. Kibwezi town does not seat a local authority
but is part of Makueni County Council .
, a partnership between the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) and Burke Presbyterian Church (PCUSA).
program (a small credit union) is being launched in summer 2009 by the Walking with Africans Foundation a new U.S.-based, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. WAF has raised money to fund a pilot program for one year in rural Kibwezi with the expectation that local loan recipients will eventually become owners of the credit union. The program will provide access to initial loans without collateral, allowing members of peer groups the opportunity to co-guarantee repayment of loans and assume management of the revolving fund. The small interest collected from loans will be reinvested into lending to more participants.
To qualify and remain in the program, participants must meet strict monitoring criteria and pay back the original loans through small weekly payments. Qualified participants who own small businesses or who seek to establish small business enterprises will be given the loans on a short-term basis (two months, for example).
WAF was founded by James Munthali, a retired economist with the International Monetary Fund
(IMF), and other members of Burke Presbyterian Church in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Kibwezi has also other churches e.g the Kenya Assemblies Of God located at Muthaiga estate, the Redeemed Gospel Church also at Muthaiga, the Pentecostal Assemblies Of God and the Full Gospel Churches of Kenya. These Being the Pentecostal Churches Of kibwezi.
system.
The town is located along Nairobi
- Mombasa
highway. Another Road connects Kibwezi with Kitui
.
Makueni District
Makueni District is an administrative district in the Eastern Province of Kenya. Its capital town is Wote. The district has a population of 771,545 and an area of 7,966 km² .The district has five constituencies:*Mbooni Constituency...
, Eastern Province
Eastern Province (Kenya)
The Eastern Province of Kenya is one of seven regions of the country. Its northern boundary is with Ethiopia; the North Eastern Province and Coast Province lie to the east and south; and the remainder of Kenya's provinces, including Central Province, run along its western border. The provincial...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
.
Kibwezi town is the headquarters of Kibwezi division, one of 15 administrative divisions
Divisions of Kenya
||The districts of Kenya are divided into 262 divisions . Divisions of Kenya are further subdivided into locations. The divisions are listed below, by district:-Baringo District:*Kabarnet*Kabartonjo*Marigat*Mochongoi*Mogotio*Nginyang...
in Makueni District. The division has a population of 80,236, of whom 4,695 are classified urban. The division has four locations
Locations of Kenya
||Locations are a type of administrative region in Kenya. Location are a fourth level subdivision below Provinces, Districts and Divisions. Locations are further subdivided into Sub-locations . As of 1999 census there were 2,427 locations and 6,612 sublocations in Kenya .Each division in Kenya is...
: Kikumbulyu, Kinyambu, Masongaleni and Utithi . Kibwezi town is located within Kikumbulyu location.
Kibwezi is also name for Kibwezi Constituency
Kibwezi Constituency
Kibwezi Constitency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of five constituencies in Makueni County. The constituency was established for the 1988 elections.The towns of Kibwezi, Makindu and Mtito Andei are located within this constituency....
, the local electoral constituency
Constituencies of Kenya
Constituencies of Kenya are used to select members of the Kenyan parliament. Currently there are 210 constituencies in Kenya. However, following the promulgation of the new constitution, the number of constituencies are to be increased to 290...
. Kibwezi town does not seat a local authority
Local authorities of Kenya
Local authorities in Kenya are the bodies controlling local governance in Kenya.Kenya has four classes of local authorities: City, Municipality, Town and County council. Currently there are three authorities with city status: Nairobi, the national capital, Mombasa and Kisumu...
but is part of Makueni County Council .
Education
The largest school is the Kibwezi Educational CentreKibwezi Educational Centre
The Kibwezi Educational Center is a learning center in the town of Kibwezi, Kenya.It contains a polytechnic offering two-year vocational programs in carpentry, masonry, welding, and tailoring. There is also a secretarial department which requires students to have graduated from secondary school. A...
, a partnership between the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) and Burke Presbyterian Church (PCUSA).
Banking and Local Economy
There are two banks and two credit unions in town. The largest bank is the Kenyan Commercial Bank. A MicrofinanceMicrofinance
Microfinance is the provision of financial services to low-income clients or solidarity lending groups including consumers and the self-employed, who traditionally lack access to banking and related services....
program (a small credit union) is being launched in summer 2009 by the Walking with Africans Foundation a new U.S.-based, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. WAF has raised money to fund a pilot program for one year in rural Kibwezi with the expectation that local loan recipients will eventually become owners of the credit union. The program will provide access to initial loans without collateral, allowing members of peer groups the opportunity to co-guarantee repayment of loans and assume management of the revolving fund. The small interest collected from loans will be reinvested into lending to more participants.
To qualify and remain in the program, participants must meet strict monitoring criteria and pay back the original loans through small weekly payments. Qualified participants who own small businesses or who seek to establish small business enterprises will be given the loans on a short-term basis (two months, for example).
WAF was founded by James Munthali, a retired economist with the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
(IMF), and other members of Burke Presbyterian Church in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Religion
There are several religions represented in the town. There is a mosque for the local Muslim community and several churches from varying Christian denominations. The two largest congregations are Catholic and the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA).Presbyterian
Kibwezi is defined by the Presbyterian Church of East Africa as a Nendeni Area, a region for church growth. There is one main anchor church located inside the Kibwezi Educational Centre, this has been named the Bethel Church. Furthermore, there are approximately 14 smaller congregations in the surrounding villages near Kibwezi. Rev. Lauden Kangele is the pastor of the Kibwezi Nendeni area. The village churches are served on Sunday by evangelists (not pastors) employed by the Kibwezi Bethel Church. A few of these areas are:- Kikauni
- Mbui-nzau
- Usalama
- Muusini
- Maikuu
- Misuuni
- Masongaleni
- Kyumani
- Makindu
- Kisingo
- Kilema
Kibwezi has also other churches e.g the Kenya Assemblies Of God located at Muthaiga estate, the Redeemed Gospel Church also at Muthaiga, the Pentecostal Assemblies Of God and the Full Gospel Churches of Kenya. These Being the Pentecostal Churches Of kibwezi.
Transport
It has a station on the Kenya Railways CorporationKenya Railways Corporation
Kenya Railways Corporation , also Kenya Railways is the national railway of Kenya. Established in 1977, KR is a state corporation.- History :...
system.
The town is located along Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
- Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
highway. Another Road connects Kibwezi with Kitui
Kitui
Kitui is a town in Kenya, 130 kilometers east of Nairobi and 75 kilometers east of Machakos. It used to be the capital of the Kitui District in Eastern Province of Kenya. Due to political reforms, Kitui is now the headquarters of Kitui County, which covers a larger area than the former district did...
.
See also
- Transport in KenyaTransport in KenyaTransport in Kenya compares well with other East African countries. Kenya has an extensive network of paved and unpaved roads. Its railway system links the nation's ports and major cities and connects Kenya with neighbouring Uganda...
- Rail transport in KenyaRail transport in KenyaThe former Uganda Railway, was run by the company East African Railways jointly for the countries of Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya after World War I. Since the dissolution of the EAR corporation in 1977 the national company Kenya Railways Corporation runs the former Uganda Railway and its branches in...
- Railway stations in KenyaRailway stations in Kenya- Maps :* * * - Existing :* Mombasa - ocean port* Changamwe* Miritini* Mazeras* Mariakani* Maji ya Chumvi* Samburu* Taru* Mackinnon Road* Mwanatibu* Buchuma* Wangala* Maungu* Ndara* Voi - junction** Mwatate** Bura** Mashoti** Maktau** Murka...