Tharaka-Nithi County

Introduction

Tharaka Nithi had a total population of 421,000 people in 2024. According to the 2019 census, the county had a total population of 393,177 people, comprising 109,860 households and an average household size of 3.6 people per household.

Tharaka Nithi has a total land area of 2,564.4 square kilometers and had a population density of 153 people per square kilometer in 2019.

Tharaka Nithi is bordered to the North by Meru, to the East by Kitui, to the South by Embu, and to the West by Nyeri and Kirinyaga.

Sub-counties in Tharaka Nithi County include Igambang'Ombe, Maara, Meru South, Tharaka North, Tharaka South, and Mt Kenya Forest.

Tharaka Nithi County Economy

Tharaka Nithi had an average Gross County Product at current prices of Ksh 78 billion between 2018 and 2022, representing an average county contribution to Gross Value Added of 0.6%.

The average county contribution to agriculture, forestry, and fishing activities was 0.9%, while the average contribution to manufacturing activities was 0.3%. Tharaka Nithi County’s average contribution to service activities was 0.5%.

Tharaka Nithi had a Gross County Product per capita of Ksh 189,339 in 2022.

Tharaka Nithi Poverty Rates

Tharaka Nithi had an overall headcount poverty rate of 36.1% in 2022, with 151,000 people estimated to live in poverty. By comparison, Kenya had an overall poverty rate of 39.8% in 2022. 

The hardcore poverty rate in Tharaka Nithi was 7.7%, with roughly 32,000 people in the county estimated to live in extreme poverty. In Kenya, the hardcore poverty rate in 2022 was 7.1%. 

Tharaka Nithi had a food poverty rate of 32.5% in 2022, and the number of people estimated to live in food poverty in the county was 136,000 in the same year. Overall, Kenya had a food poverty rate of 31.7% in 2022. 

The map below shows the distribution of poverty by constituency in Tharaka Nithi County in 2019: Igambang'ombe 25.3%, Maara 16.8%, and Tharaka 33%.

The mean monthly food and non-food expenditure in Tharaka Nithi County was Ksh 3,720 and Ksh 3,793, respectively, in 2022. The percentage share of expenditure on food was 57.9%, while the share of non-food expenditure was 42.1%. 

The major sources of household food consumption in Tharaka Nithi in 2022 were purchase or stock 79.5%, own production 16.5%, and gifts 4%. 

The mean and median per adult equivalent consumption expenditure were Ksh 6,438 and Ksh 5,263, respectively, in 2024.

Tharaka Nithi County Demographics

The total number of people in Tharaka Nithi was 393,177 in 2019, consisting of 193,764 males, 199,406 females, and 7 intersex. Tharaka Nithi had a median age of 22 years in 2019.

The table below shows the population distribution in Tharaka Nithi by sub-county and sex. 

Marital Status

The percentage distribution of women aged 12 and above in Tharaka Nithi who were never married in 2019 was 35.3%, while those who were married monogamous were 50.9%. On the other hand, those in polygamous unions were 1.4%. In comparison, the widowed were 7.2%—the distribution of women who were divorced and separated was 1.3% and 3.7%, respectively.

Among men aged 12 and above in Tharaka Nithi, the never-married were 44.5%, while those in monogamous marriages were 47.7% in 2021. The distribution of men in polygamous marriages was 1.5%, and the widowed were 1.6%. The percentage distribution of widowed and divorced men in Tharaka Nithi was 1% and 3.7%, respectively, in 2021.

According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, the median age at first marriage among women aged 25-49 in Tharaka Nithi County was 21.3 years in 2022. In men aged 25-54 and those aged 30-54, the median age at first marriage in Tharaka Nithi was 24.5 years and 24.2 years, respectively, in 2022.

Polygyny in Tharaka Nithi County

The percentage of women aged 15-49 in Tharaka Nithi who had one more co-wife in 2022 was 2.8%. The rate of women in the county without co-wives was 94.9%.

Among men aged 15-49 in Tharaka Nithi County, 98.5% had one wife, while 1.6% had more than two wives in 2022.

Marriage Registration

The percentage of currently married women aged 15-49 in Tharaka Nithi County whose marriage was registered with the civil authorities was 26.2% in 2022, while those whose marriage was registered and had a marriage certificate was 21.2%.

Teenage Marriages

The proportion of married males and females aged 12-15 in Tharaka Nithi County was 4.2% and 4.3%, respectively 2019. Among females aged 12-18, the married proportion was 5.5% in the same year.

The rate of teenage pregnancies in Tharaka Nithi, consisting of women aged 15-19 who have ever been pregnant, was 9.9% in 2022.

Total Fertility Rate

Tharaka Nithi County had a Total Fertility Rate of 2.9 births per woman in 2019, a decline of 23.8% from a total fertility rate of 3.8 births per woman in 2009. By comparison, Kenya had a total fertility rate of 3.4 births per woman in 2019, a decline from 28.6% from 4.8 births in 2009.

The total youth fertility rate in Tharaka Nithi, which consists of women aged 15-24, was 0.9 births per woman in 2019, compared to a national youth fertility rate of 1 birth per woman.

The Crude Birth Rate of Tharaka Nithi County was 21.6 births per 1,000 population in 2019, a decline of 34.8% from a Crude Birth Rate of 33.1 births per 1,000 population in 2009. Overall, Kenya's Crude Birth Rate in 2019 was 27.9 births per 1,000 population in 2019, a decline of 27.2% from a Crude Birth Rate of 38.4 births per woman in 2009.

Place of Birth and Notification Status

The share of recent births occurring in a health facility in Tharaka Nithi County was 93% in 2019, while the share of births occurring in a non-health facility was 6.9%. In Kenya, the share of births occurring in a health facility in 2019 was 85.8%, while those occurring in a non-health facility were 14%.

The share of recent births in Tharaka Nithi County that were notified was 95.4% in 2019, while those that were not notified were 4.5%. In Kenya, the share of recent births that were notified in 2019 was 90.4%, while those not notified were 9.3%. 

Place of Death and Notification Status

In 2019, 67.5% of deaths in Tharaka Nithi County occurred in a health facility, while 32.3% occurred in the community. In Kenya, 59% of deaths in 2019 occurred in a health facility, while 40% did not occur in a health facility.

The share of deaths in Tharaka Nithi County that were notified in 2019 was 92.2%. Overall, the share of deaths that were notified in Kenya in 2019 was 85.6%.

Tharaka Nithi County Crude Death Rate (CDR) was 10.6 deaths per 1,000 population in 2019. Overall, Kenya had a Crude Death Rate of 10.5%.

Religious Affiliation

Most residents of Tharaka Nithi County are Protestant 172,266, followed by Catholic 108,266, and members of Evangelical Churches 70,043.

Tharaka Nithi County Development

1. The Rural Access Index (RAI) in Tharaka Nithi County was 76%, representing the percentage of the population living within two kilometers of an all-weather road in 2019.
2. Household access to electricity in Tharaka Nithi County was 35.3% in 2019, up from 8.4% in 2009.
3. Household access to improved sanitation in Tharaka Nithi County was 86.7% in 2019, up from 60.6% in 2009.
4. Household access to safe drinking water in Tharaka Nithi County was 59.1% in 2019, up from 48.2% in 2009.
5. Tharaka Nithi County had 82.9% of its public primary schools connected to electricity, ranking 31^st nationally in 2019.

The share of the population in Tharaka Nithi County owning mobile phones in 2019 was 51.3%. Among women, 85.5% owned any type of mobile phone in Tharaka Nithi County in 2022, while 40.8% owned a smartphone.

Among men, 79.5% in Tharaka Nithi County owned any kind of mobile phone in 2022, while 36.7% owned a smartphone. The percentage of men and women who had used a mobile phone for financial transactions in the year preceding the 2022 KDHS survey was 79.7% and 79%, respectively^.

Tharaka Nithi County Finance

In the financial year (FY) 2023/24, Tharaka Nithi County approved a supplementary budget of Ksh 6.52 billion, comprising Ksh 2.15 billion (33%) and Ksh 4.37 billion (67%) allocation for development and recurrent expenditures, respectively.

The budget estimates represented an increase of 14.7% compared to the previous year when it was Ksh5.68 billion and comprised of Ksh1.32 billion towards development and Ksh 4.36 billion for recurrent expenditures.

Revenue Performance in Tharaka Nithi County

The main sources of revenue for Tharaka Nithi County in FY 2023/2024 included:

• Equitable share – Ksh 4.0 billion
• Conditional grants and additional allocations – Ksh 506.8 million
• Own Source Revenue – Ksh 417.4 million
• Cash balances – Ksh 229.9 million

Tharaka Nithi County Own Source Revenue

Tharaka Nithi County generated a total of Ksh 417.4 million from local sources of revenue, inclusive FIF and ordinary OSR. The major sources of revenue included: 

• Health FIF – Ksh161.0 million (39%)
• Single business permit – Ksh85.1 million (20%)
• Cess Fees – Ksh 55.8 million (13%)
• Liquor License – Ksh 22.6 million (5%)
• Parking fees – Ksh 19.8 million (5%)
• Others – Ksh 73.0 million (18%)

Tharaka Nithi County Expenditure

On recurrent expenditure, Tharaka Nithi County spent Ksh 2,709,477,696 on personnel emoluments, and Ksh 1,206,078,415 on operations and maintenance. On development expenditure, Tharaka-Nithi County spent Ksh1,174,224,530.

The total expenditure spent in Tharaka Nithi County in the FY 2023/24 was Ksh 5,089,780,640.

Pending Bills in Tharaka Nithi County

Tharaka Nithi County Executive reported outstanding bills of Ksh 627.3 million as June 30^th 2024, comprising Ksh 408.8 million for recurrent expenditure and Ksh 218.5 million for development expenditure.

The County Assembly reported outstanding pending bills of Ksh 113.6 million as of 30^th June 2024.

MCA Sitting Allowance in Tharaka Nithi County

The average sitting allowance for Members of the County Assembly in Tharaka Nithi was Ksh 66,225 compared to the national average of Ksh 59,508.

Tharaka Nithi County Travel Expenditure

In the FY 2023/24 Tharaka Nithi County spent Ksh 161,380,000 on Domestic travel and Ksh 13,200,000 on foreign travel. The total expenditure on travel in Tharaka Nithi was Ksh 174,580,000.

See Also

1. Meru County
2. Embu County
3. Isiolo County

References

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2. KNBS. (2022). 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census: Population by county and subcounty (Vol. I, p. 7).
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19. Commission on Revenue Allocation. (2022). Kenya County Factsheet (3rd ed., p. 120).