Kirinyaga District was an administrative district in the Central Province of Kenya. Its administrative centre is Kerugoya.^[1] As of 1999, the district had a population of 457,105 and an area of 1,478 km².^[2]

Kirinyaga District was historically part of Embu District until prior to independence when the colonial government made it its own district.^[3] In 2013, Kirinyaga District effectively disappeared and Kirinyaga County was effected as per the constitution of Kenya.

Kirinyaga District was created in 1963 out of the western part of Embu District.^[1]

In 2007 new districts were created and Kirinyaga District was divided into four new districts: Kirinyaga Central with its administrative centre at Kerugoya; Kirinyaga East with its administrative centre at Kianyaga; Kirinyaga South with its administrative centre at Wanguru; and Kirinyaga West with its administrative centre at Baricho. Following a High Court ruling in September 2009, that there are only 46 legal districts in Kenya.^[4]

The County Council of Kirinyaga administered all of Kirinyaga District, except the area administered by the Municipal Council of Kerugoya /Kutus and the Town council of Sagana-Kagio.^[1]

Kirinyaga District is divided as follows:

The district has four constituencies:

• Mwea Constituency
• Gichugu Constituency
• Ndia Constituency
• Kirinyaga Central Constituency

0°30′S 37°17′E / 0.500°S 37.283°E / -0.500; 37.283