Mount Kenya Academy was started in 1982 by Mr. & Mrs. Charles Mwangi at the Nyeri Kindergarten site in Nyeri town. The Junior School moved to its present site in 1983. In 2004 following demand from parents and support from Mr. & Mrs Scott Hawkins and family, Cindy Candler and other friends from Atlanta Georgia the Senior School was established. Ever since the first MKA class sat their KCPE examination in 1988, the Junior School has ranked among the most successful schools in Kenya for KCPE performance and now the Senior School is building the same reputation with both the KCSE and IGCSE. Graduates from both schools have gone on to excellent schools and Universities in Kenya, the UK, the USA, Canada and Australia. Many of them who have completed their studies now have high profile jobs in Kenya and abroad.