MERU, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE OF. — It is situated in the central part of Kenya, to the northeast of Mount Kenya, and is entrusted to the Istituto Missioni Consolata (q.v.). It was erected on 10 March 1926 with territory detached from the Apostolic Vicariate of Nyeri (q.v.). It comprises the district of Meru and part of the district of Embu. The first two mission stations (Imenti and Egogi) were founded in 1911.
From 1940, after all the Italian missionaries of the prefecture were interned, it had a delegate vicar assisted by 5 priests and 1 lay brother, Dutch members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit. In 1944 the missionaries of the Consolata returned, remaining under the direction of the delegate vicar until the appointment of the present Apostolic Administrator, who is the Apostolic Vicar of Nyeri.
According to the latest statistics (1950), the prefecture has an area of approx. 9,000 sq. km., 320,000 inhabitants, 13,546 Catholics, of whom 13,501 are indigenous and 45 foreign, 3,040 catechumens, 20,500 Protestants, 830 Muslims, approx. 282,000 pagans, 22 foreign priests, 7 foreign lay brothers, 39 foreign sisters, 72 catechists, 177 male teachers and 10 female teachers; 31 main stations and secondary ones; churches and chapels; 1 hospital, 9 dispensaries; 102 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, 2 vocational schools, 1 normal school. There are associations of Catholic Action. In 1950 there were 920 adult baptisms.