(Akikuyu, Giguyu), a people inhabiting central Kenya. They number 2.2 million (1969, census) and speak the Kikuyu language. The Meru (554,000), Embu (118,000), and Mbere (49,000) are related to the Kikuyu in language and culture. According to legend the Kikuyu came from the east (northeast of the Tan River) about the 16th century. Christianity is widespread, along with traditional beliefs. The Kikuyu are mainly agriculturalists, raising coffee for export. A working class is emerging, and the ranks of the national bourgeoisie and intelligentsia are growing.
(Giguyu), the language of the Kikuyu people of central Kenya. Kikuyu, a Bantu language, is spoken by 2.7 million people (1970, estimate). The phonetic system is characterized by interdental consonants: voiced ð and voiceless λ; the Dahl law of the dissimilation of consonants is applicable to Kikuyu. A characteristic morphological feature is the relatively complete system of nominal classes (16). The class prefixes are monosyllabic. In addition to the three conventional locative classes with the prefixes pa-, ku-, and mu-, the locative prefix e- is used. Word order is subject-predicate-object, and class agreement is strictly observed at the syntactic level.