Editing Kutus

{{Distinguish|Qutuz}}
{{Use Kenyan English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name          = Kutus
|settlement_type        = Town
|pushpin_map            = Kenya
|pushpin_label_position = bottom
|pushpin_map_caption    = Location in Kenya
|subdivision_type       = Country
|subdivision_name       = {{flag|Kenya}}
|subdivision_type1      = [[Counties of Kenya|County]]
|subdivision_name1      = [[Kirinyaga County]]
|unit_pref              = Metric 
|timezone               = [[East Africa Time|EAT]]
|utc_offset             = +3
|coordinates            = {{coord|0.57310|S|37.32788|E|region:KE|display=inline,title}}
}}

'''Kutus''' is a town in [[Kirinyaga County]], [[Kenya]], serving as the county's administrative headquarters.

==Geography==
Kutus, forming part of the Kerugoya/Kutus municipality, is the county headquarters of Kirinyaga. The municipality, which also includes the township of [[Kerugoya]], has a combined population of 39,441, with 14,056 classified as urban (based on the 1999 census<ref>Kenya National Bureau of Statistics: [http://www.forestry.go.ke/cbs.go.ke/pdf/authority.pdf ''Population of local authorities''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928215608/http://www.forestry.go.ke/cbs.go.ke/pdf/authority.pdf |date=2007-09-28 }}</ref>).

The municipality comprises six wards: Kerugoya Central, Kerugoya North, Kerugoya South, Kutus South, Kutus Central, and Nduini. Most of these wards fall under the [[Kerugoya/Kutus Constituency]] (also known as Kirinyaga Central Constituency).<ref>Electoral Commission of Kenya: [http://www.eck.or.ke/downloads/pollingcentres.pdf ''Registration centres by electoral area and constituency''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070628084749/http://www.eck.or.ke/downloads/pollingcentres.pdf |date=June 28, 2007 }}</ref>

==Etymology==
The name 'Kutus' evolved from the original term 'Mūcakūthi', used by many locals to this day. The town was initially named after its founding chief, Gūtū (the Kikuyu word for 'Ear'). Over time, 'Gūtū's' place transformed linguistically, influenced by the Gichugu Dialect, into 'Kutus', aligning with the English possessive form ('s). Thus, 'Kutus' implies belonging to Gūtū.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Populated places in Kirinyaga County]]
[[Category:County capitals in Kenya]]