Ignore Kabete and Kiambu, and marry a Murang'a woman instead.

 

There were minimal limitations on Kikuyu tribal marriages, although males were advised against marrying from the Ethaga (also known as the Ambura) clan, one of the nine Agikuyu clans. The Ethaga were known for rainmakers, but their women were known for witchcraft, which was viewed with suspicion in Central Kenya despite the fact that it was designed to protect the village from marauders. "Ethaga are not inherently bad," explains Mzee Peter Kibue of Kiambu County, "but when compared to other Kikuyu clans, very few marry or be married to an Ethaga for fear of their using their particular abilities to hurt."

    Aside from no-go zone clans, the Kikuyu were particularly concerned with personal families, and those with a background of curses and disasters were given special consideration. According to Josephat Chege, a Murang'a elder, such households would be shunned due to incidents that occurred decades ago. Families of Kikuyu who were believed to have backed the British colonialists or served as 'homeguards' were likewise viewed with suspicion, particularly if a man or woman from such a family was interested in a member of a family of freedom fighters. In light of the Kikuyu's division of spouses by areas, a woman's culture and upbringing are more important than her descent from the Ethaga clan.

    The ruthlessness of British colonialists in Nyeri, according to Chege, hardened their ladies into no-nonsense wives, with their household adventurism confirming the idea that Nyeri women are tough nuts to crush. Kiambu, where the Kikuyu and Masaai were always fighting over livestock, produced a number of 'diehard' women, which is why the name Kiambu means 'the area of screaming.'

    "While Kiambu women are notorious for their love of material stuff, Kabete women are particularly dreaded. "We can't pass a general judgment on Kiambu and Nyeri women," Chege says, adding that "those brought up with a toughened attitude would not refuse to instigate arguments with their spouses, and it is for this cause that some men may be hesitant to marry them."

    While Kiambu women are renowned for their love of material stuff, Kabete women are feared for, among other things, harboring deadly intents, a reputation bolstered by media stories and the fact that Kabete has the greatest number of widows per square kilometer in Central Kenya. Kibue agrees that women from Murang'a, Nyandarua, and the rest of the Mt Kenya area make wonderful spouses "because they are not very aggressive," and that this praise storyline has bolstered their upbringing and aspirations.