People group profile · PG014869
The Tharaka of Kenya
The Tharaka of Kenya, numbering about 252,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of Kenya.
They are an indigenous people in the Bantu, Gikuyu-Kamba people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Tharaka.

Fast facts
- Country
- Kenya
- Population
- 252,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Bantu, Gikuyu-Kamba
- Primary language
- Tharaka (thk)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Unengaged and Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Africa, Africa
- Location
- Embu, Meru, and Tharaka-Nithi counties
Where they live
Gospel status
The Tharaka are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Tharaka
- Pray that God would send workers to this people group
- Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
- Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice
Primary religion
Animism · Ethnoreligion
61% adherents
Primary language
Tharaka · Atlantic-Congo family
75% speak Tharaka
Gospel resources in Tharaka
- Bible available, published 2018
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Bibles
- 2002 Bible Translation and Literacy · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Tharaka
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
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