Gikuyu, Embu, and Meru Association

The Gikuyu, Embu, Meru, and Akamba (GEMA) is an organisation in Kenya created to presumably advance the social and political needs of the Eastern Kenya Bantu people of Gikuyu, Embu, Meru, and Akamba who though are closely related linguistically and culturally but don't have common mythologies or history. It was founded in 1971, with an economic arm, GEMA Holdings.

GEMA was formally registered by Attorney General Charles Njonjo by the instructions of president Jomo Kenyatta. Njonjo himself became an opponent of the group and in 1976 charged some of its members, including Kihika Kimani and Njenga Karume, with treason: the order was soon rejected by the president, Jomo Kenyatta. Other prominent GEMA figures included Njoroge Mungai, Jeremiah Nyagah, and Jackson Angaine.

GEMA was formally banned in 198O,during a national consultative meeting held at the then Kenya Institute of Administration (KIA)Kabete, which has since been renamed as the Kenya School of Government. An attempt to revive GEMA in the name of GEMA Cultural Association (GCA) under the chairmanship of retired bishop Lawi Imathiu, has been going on since 2008 when the members of the Agikuyu tribe from both Central and Rift Valley regions, alarmed by the events of the 2007 post election violence between them and the Kalenjin and Luo tribes on the other hand, held a consultative meeting in Meru, but which turned chaotic after the Ameru community, which claimed not to have been involved in its planning, rejected its revival citing security concerns and the need for each community, to preserve its own identity and culture, to avoid domination and potential conflicts arising out of misunderstandings, due to the diversities of history, traditions, heritage and cultural norms. The Ameru categorically turned down the idea of forming Gema and warned its proprietors, against involving the Ameru in matters they didn't approve off.