This district covers a total area of 2,092.5 km? with a total population of 183,166. the District is divided into four divisions namely, Gachoka, Mwea, Evurori and Siakago. With nineteen locations and forty one sub locations. It has two electoral constituencies namely, Siakago and Gachoka and fifteen electoral wards There is only one local authority, the Mbeere County Council

Physiographic and Natural Conditions

The district slopes from the northwest to southeast direction. The altitude ranges from around 500m above sea level on the Tana River basin to 1,200m above sea level. The sloppy nature of the district causes transportation problems during the rainy season when roads are virtually impassable due to the slippery terrain and numerous gullied formed by run off water on the steep sides of the hills and valleys.

Five major rivers namely Tana, Rupinganzi, Thiba, Thuci and Ena, all of which flow on a general southeasterly direction except for Tana River that has tributaries originating from Aberdare Ranges, serve the district. The rest of the rivers originate from Mt. Kenya Forest.

The district has no gazetted forest but has 3,751 hectares of natural forest entrusted to the Mbeere County Council. The forests are Kiangombe Forest Reserve in Evurori Division (2,104 Ha) Kianjiru (1,004 Ha) and Kiambere (643 Ha) Forest Reserves both in Gachoka Division.

Kiangombe Hill Forest consists of both exotic plantations and natural forests. The exotic plantations are found both at the foot and top of the hill. The rest of the hill is composed of natural forests with indigenous. The hill is also the source of Kangiri, Marivue and Ngiga streams. This hill has a potential for ecotourism. Kiambere and Kanjiru Hills consist of natural forests composed of rare herbs and shrubs.

The district has a bimodal pattern of rainfall with the long rains falling between April and June while the short rains are experienced from October to December. The rainfall is, however, not reliable and ranges between 640-1,100 mm per year with most parts of the district receiving 550mm of rainfall per year. Cash crop farming like tobacco and cotton and Livestock farming are the main economic activity in the district.

The district has no lakes but is endowed with both surface and sub-surface water resources. It has some major dams, which generate hydroelectric power for the country. These dams include Kiambere, Gitaru, Kindaruma and Masinga all of which are situated along the Tana River.

Settlement Patterns

The district is sparsely populated with majority of the population concentrated around major market centers like Siakago, Ishiara, Kiritiri, Karaba and Gachoka. These areas have fairly well developed infrastructure and have good potential for business enterprises. There are also more concentration of people along the major permanent water sources such as rivers and dams where irrigation, farming and fishing are carried out. Other areas with high concentration of people include along the major roads and in areas where soils are productive and rainfall is reliable for agricultural production. Areas where land has not been adjudicated have relatively fewer people than areas adjudicated and titles issued.

The most densely populated divisions in the district are Siakago and Evurori with 100 and 96 persons per km? respectively. The least populated is Gachoka with 79 persons per Km?. Evurori Division has the highest number of pockets of poor people followed by Mwea, Siakago and Gachoka respectively. Majority of the poor are found in Ndurumori and Kiangombe Locations in Evurori Divisions, Makima and Riakanau in Mwea Division and Mutitu, Muminji Kiambere and Mutuorare in Siakago Division. Generally the District is an arid and semi-arid area and the majority of the population is poor, with about 60 per cent of its population living below the poverty line.

Source Mbeere District Development Plan 2002-2008