Athi River (town)
Encyclopedia
Athi River is a town outside Nairobi
, Kenya
in Eastern Province
. It is also known as Mavoko. The town hosts Mavoko municipal council and headquarters of Mavoko division which is part of the Machakos District
. It has an urban population of 22,000 and a total population of 48,260 (1999 census), and is relatively industrialised, including a major cement
factory run by Athi River Mining
. The town is also a growing residential area due to its proximity to the capital.
- Nairobi line. The Daystar University
has a campus in the town. The town is named after Athi, the first part of the Athi-Galana
river system.
Athi River town is adjacent to and three kilometers from Kitengela
town, but is part of the Machakos District in Eastern Province
, while Kitengela belongs to Kajiado District
in the Rift Valley Province.
Mavoko carved off the Nairobi County Council in 1963, when the latter was disbanded. Mavoko municipality has six wards (Athi River West, Katani, Kinanie/Mathani, Makadara, Muthwani and Sophia). All these wards belong to Kathiani constituency, which has a total of ten wards. The remaining four wards are within Masaku County Council.
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...
, 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...
in 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...
. It is also known as Mavoko. The town hosts Mavoko municipal council and headquarters of Mavoko division which is part of the Machakos District
Machakos District
Machakos District is an administrative district in the Eastern Province of Kenya. Its capital town is Machakos. The district has a population of 906,644 ....
. It has an urban population of 22,000 and a total population of 48,260 (1999 census), and is relatively industrialised, including a major cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
factory run by Athi River Mining
Athi River Mining
Athi River Mining, or ARM is a mining and manufacturing company in Kenya. The company is headquartered in Nairobi and its stock is listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. ARM was founded in 1974 by Mr. H.J...
. The town is also a growing residential area due to its proximity to the capital.
Transport
Athi River has a railway station built in 1920 along the MombasaMombasa
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....
- Nairobi line. The Daystar University
Daystar University
Daystar is a Christian liberal arts university in Nairobi, Kenya.Daystar's original campus is close to Nairobi city centre, but here is no room to expand at that location. Therefore, in the last decade a new campus has been built at Athi River, some 40 km to the south-east of the city, on the...
has a campus in the town. The town is named after Athi, the first part of the Athi-Galana
Athi-Galana-Sabaki River
Athi-Galana-Sabaki River is the second longest river in Kenya . It has a total length of 390 km, and drains a basin area of 70,000 km². The river rises at 1° 42' S...
river system.
Athi River town is adjacent to and three kilometers from Kitengela
Kitengela
Kitengela is a plain in Kenya, located south of capital Nairobi. There is also a town named Kitengela in the area.Close to Nairobi National Park is also the Kitengela Game Conservation Area populated with buffalo, masai giraffe, black rhino, eland, impala, Grant's and Thomson's gazelle, common and...
town, but is part of the Machakos District in 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...
, while Kitengela belongs to Kajiado District
Kajiado District
Kajiado District is an administrative district in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. It has a population of 406,054 and an area of 21,903 km². The district borders Nairobi city and extends to the Kenya-Tanzania border further south. The district capital is Kajiado.The district is divided into seven...
in the Rift Valley Province.
Mavoko carved off the Nairobi County Council in 1963, when the latter was disbanded. Mavoko municipality has six wards (Athi River West, Katani, Kinanie/Mathani, Makadara, Muthwani and Sophia). All these wards belong to Kathiani constituency, which has a total of ten wards. The remaining four wards are within Masaku County Council.