POPULATION

The population of the area that the project serves (Gategi Sub location & Makima scheme area) was estimated at 51,408 in the 2019 general census conducted by the Ministry of Planning and National Development. Gategi sub location comprises of 30,117  and Makima Scheme area/Ngwata 21,291 inhabitants. The project serves, at a rough estimate, about half of the population.

The area is a cosmopolitan one, comprising approximately 75% Kamba, with Mbeeres, Gikuyus, Embians, Merus and Luos occupying the remaining 25%.Languages spoken include all of the above plus English and Kiswahili. The Luos are few found along River Tana. Of the people who have settled in the scheme, (known locally as Ngwata) most are young and the population is expanding fast.

Those who have settled in the scheme have done so over 40 years and are now comprised of four generations.Ngwata/the scheme, was originally set up as a wildlife reserve and later converted in part by the Government into a cattle ranching scheme in which participants purchased shares, enchroached on by cattle ranching, is a large undemarcated area of land extending from Embu County to the borders of Machakos County. Its a highly controversial area and issue as it is yet to be officially demarcated by the authorities. Those who have made their home there have constructed compounds and houses, markets, churches, primary and secondary schools, earth dams and water pans, planted trees and extensively farmed the area under an informal system of land ownership and leasing. It is not yet been possible to acquire title deeds to any of the land which impeded investment and development.

Within Ngwata, there is a small wildlife reserve called Mwea, touching on Masinga and Kamburu dams, with a small population of elephants, buffalos, zebras, hippos, hyenas, crocodiles and warthogs, which is a local tourist attraction

Livestock trading at Karaba Market

The main road for personal and business transport runs through Gategi and Makima Locations and parts of the Scheme/Ngwata. This road runs from VI (Vehicle Inspection) Junction on the main Nairobi- Embu highway, through various markets and villages: Karaba, Gategi, Makindu, Gikuru and Makima, to Machanga, close to Kamburu Dam, one of the huge Seven Forks dams on the river Tana which flows from Mt. Kenya to the Indian Ocean. Parts of the road forms the border between Kirinyaga and Embu Counties (formerly Eastern and Central Provinces, and as a border road, is not under authority of the Counties, but of KERRA (Kenya Rural Roads Authority) . 90% of the road is rough, hard dirt, murram, and at times of seasonal  rains, it is not possible for vehicles to traverse those sections which run across areas of black cotton soil.

Churches come in all shapes and sizes from large constructions in local stone with high roofs, to small ‘mabati’ structures (corrugated iron sheets, seen all over Kenya in the many slum districts). The main congregations are S.A (Salvation Army), ACK (Anglican Church of Kenya), AIC (African Inland Church), and the Catholic Church among the oldest established in the region with associated Missions in places like Wango, Karaba and Makima, previous served by priests from Italy, with associated facilities such as boreholes, clinics, pharmacies, polytechnics and schools. Sadly, the Missions are now a rapidly declining phenomena locally if not nationally. Other churches include small independent evangelicals who have broken away from the larger established churches, and hold more traditional style ceremonies with music, dancing and drumming, sometimes all night long through till dawn, known as ‘Kesha’ (lit meaning, till the next day). Churches are also sources of frequent and lengthy fundraisings for renovations, extensions, additional buildings such as vicarages and kitchens, and new-build grander churches.

Churches serve as very important social hubs, Sunday services are well and enthusiastically attended by congregants of all ages and social classes, all dressed in their Sunday best. There is open competition among churches to increase membership, and one can frequently hear loud preaching and praying over amplified PA systems, including loud evangelical revivalist crusades in the market.

Certain people set up merry-go-rounds, a system of informal table banking where by members pool weekly or monthly contributions for use by individuals as needed such as emergencies, medical costs, school fees. There are also income generating groups where members combine resources to operate small businesses like horticultural and water pumping, tent and furniture hire for large social occasions, and food catering. The Project sometimes assist some such groups on a cost sharing basis. Political rallies take place at local and national election time with procession of vehicles and music.

Men frequently socialize in the local pubs and bars evening time and weekends. Over consumption of alcohol is all too common with predictable consequences, while some unemployed young men form groups in the market publicly chewing Miraa, a mild narcotic stimulant legal herb, grown locally and even exported out of Kenya.

Educational Seminar at Gategi market During our Annual Health Sentitization Program

LITERACY & EDUCATION

The area is served by a good number of government public primary and secondary schools (of which the project has constructed and renovated a good number) and two local polytechnics at Mbonzuki and Makima. There are private nurseries and primary schools. Literacy among the older people is generally low. In recent times school enrolment has greatly increased. There is a striking difference of numeracy & literacy levels between young people and their parents, grandparents and previous generations. Young people are also far more Tech and IT & media savvy than their elders.

A majority of students who complete secondary school education with KCSE (Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education) go on to enroll for certificates, diplomas and degrees at polytechnics, colleges and universities, some qualifying for modest bursaries from the Project, of which about 500 are selected every year.

In recent years, the Government has initiated various rapid and repeated changes to the educational system. They have introduced the new CBC (Competency Based Curriculum) into Primary school and the newly created Junior Secondary schools, and are phasing out the old 8-4-4 system (8 years primary, 4 years secondary, 4 years tertiary). Though implementation, including provision of sufficient day schools (as an alternative to the more costly and more traditional secondary boarding schools) additional classrooms, furnishings, trained teachers, textbooks, and sports, arts and computer facilities, remains a huge challenge.

RIVERS, DAMS & STREAMS

This region is served by two main rivers, the Thiba & the Tana. River Thiba is the closest about 2km from Gategi market. Sometime the Thiba dries out during the dry seasons. It’s highly polluted by runoffs chemicals from the Mwea rice irrigation scheme and domestic & human and commercial waste water from Ngurubani/Mwea town. River Tana is the biggest in Kenya and is the feeder for the Seven Forks Dams flowing down to the Coast. The river has crocodiles, hippotamus and Masinga Tourist Resort.

Masinga Dam is by far the largest of the dams, generates hydroelectric power, and touches on parts of Ngwata/Scheme, an undemarcated area of land extending close to the border of adjacent Machakos County.

The Thiba River has a tributary called the Nyamindi, originating from Mt. Kenya, flowing East downstream through Kirinyaga County, and joining the Thiba downstream on the borders of Scheme/Ngwata in Embu County. The Nyamindi tributary is in turn enhanced by its own tributary the Rupingazi River which joins upstream in Kirinyaga County. The Thiba flow is very much reduced, sometimes to trickle, by unregulated and unlicensed pumping of water into maize and rice farms and commercial horticultural plots along its banks.

There is also a Government Collective canal system which periodically floods water from the Thiba upstream in Kirinyaga County, through controlled gates, into the large rice fields on the Kiringaga side adjacent to Gategi. Some of this water seeps through into Gategi across the main roads through Kalungulu stream. There are also a number of seasonal streams: such as the Ntheeuni, Lulwa, Mbonzuki, Kalungulu, Kakindu and Mashamba which can have a big flow at the height of rains but dry up completely after the rains have passed.

In 2022, The Gachoka water cluster project was introduced into the area, by gravity piping fresh cool water upstream from the Nyamindi River in Kirinyaga County. The purpose was to increase food security by encouraging small horticultural plots. However, the flow in parts has been reduced by commercial use for businesses at Gategi Market, and the profitable business of commercial rice farming in certain farms conveniently situated to the pipes.

There are a number of dams in Gategi and Makima such as Kalungulu, Kathiani, Mulukusi, Matilamu, Kalisa, Kikulani, Muthilu, Gatuanyaga and Makima, of which four have been dug by the Project. The project has also dug two small water pans at Kaseve and Kakindu Primary Schools.

CLIMATE & SOILS

The area is officially classified as arid/semi arid by the GoK (Goverment of Kenya), though there are considerable variations. The two main rain seasons occur at the end of March to early May, and late October through to mid December and January, though the pattern, frequency and amount of rains has become increasingly erratic and unreliable over the last ten years, which has impacted very badly on the great number of population who rely on subsistence dry farming, the main economic and subsistence activity of the majority of people.

The climate is generally hot and dry with temperatures sometimes reaching 35 degrees Celsius, cooler in June and July, and at night the temperature can drop to 15 degrees Celsius. Proximity to Mt. Kenya about 2hrs drive to the North has some mitigating effects to night-time temperatures.

The area of soils is divided into three sections. The largest part by far 80%, is black cotton soil, red soil occupies other parts, and there are smaller areas of sandy loam soil mostly along the beds of seasonal streams. Black cotton soil has clay like properties retaining a lot of water during rain and severely and deeply cracking, up to 4 or 5 metres after it dries out and is extremely difficulty and tiring to navigate by foot. The area of Gategi sub-location and Makima Scheme/Ngwata contains distinct sections of soils. The largest section is black cotton which is much less suitable for construction of houses and buildings as the ground swells and contracts cracking walls. The soil is better suited for crops at times of moderate rainfall, but floods heavily during heavier rains. Red soil with much higher drainage is best suited for growing crops when rains are heavy.

FARMING & LIVESTOCK

Farmers primarily grow maize, beans and green grams (Ndengu), and practise dry farming, relying on rainfall with only sporadic irrigation. Irregular patterns of rainfall is the biggest challenge. Maize is the main subsistence crop. Ndengu (green grams) and varieties of beans are also cash and subsistence crops. Maize is used in the preparation of starchy carbohydrates dishes, githeri and Ugali. Other crops grown are: Cow Peas, Sorghum, Cassava and Sweet Potatoes.

Some farmers practise small-scale horticulture around rivers and dams pumping water and grow Tomatoes, Chillies, Peppers, Watermelons, Cabbages, Kales, Onions, and other leafy plants such Managu, Terere and Sukuma Wiki (Sukuma Wiki lit meaning ‘Push the Week’) a basic cheap meal of Ugali and Greens.

Some who are economically stable keep two or more bulls for ploughing shambas, pulling carts loaded with construction materials, crops, and drums of water, and for hiring out to others. Cattle are traditionally considered as a source of great wealth, locally, all over Kenya, and indeed Africa, like money in the bank.

Cows and goats are also kept for milk, for breeding, and as a source of capital wealth, like savings in the bank. Goats are particularly key in the Kamba tradition, as well suited to the hot and dry climate and vast semi-arid areas of Eastern Kenya, were Kambas historically roamed with big herds of animals, as a source of milk, meat and skins.

The Kamba, in contrast to the people of the more fertile Central Kenya, were never serious farmers but chiefly traders. And goats and cows, along with traditional brews and honey, are still used to this day for exchanges and negotiations in ceremonies such as marriage dowries and weddings, spiritual rituals, and as compensations in settling disputes between families and individuals in traditional courts of elders.

Chickens are kept in most households for meat and eggs, particularly the local Kienyeji free range varieties, which are far superior in taste to the commercially, bred broiler varieties.

Sheep are also kept, though on a smaller scale, for cash sales and for meat. Historically sheep are associated with witchcraft as the fatty parts are thought to scare away the evil spirit. Some Kamba still follow this tradition, in resolving family and business issues, and from time to time, traditional practitioners, from as far as Tanzania, still visit Gategi and surrounding areas, earning substantial sums of money from clients of all classes.