Shambu

Shambu is a town and separate woreda in western Ethiopia. Located in the Horo Guduru Welega Zone of the Oromia Region west of Lake Finicha'a, this town has an elevation of 2503 metres above sea level. It was the administrative centre of Jimma Horo woreda.

Local landmarks include the Shambu Medhane `Alem and Timhurt churches.

A Swedish reporter published in 1969, an account of conditions in Shambu Prison, which consists of a fenced-in area the size of a football field, and associated buildings. A deep trench 3x5 metres in size is the common latrine for about 130 men and women. Most of the prisoners are chained, and are fed once a day. The eight female prisoners were locked in a single room 8x3 metres and never allowed outside. The men are only confined at night into two rooms 8x12 metres, 60 men in each, and sleep directly upon the wooden floor.

The 2007 national census reported a total population for this town of 14,995, of whom 7,757 were men and 7,238 were women. The majority of the inhabitants observed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 50.32% reporting that as their religion, while 38.24% were Protestants, and 9% were Moslem. The 1994 census reported this town had a total population of 11,327 of whom 5,463 were males and 5,864 were females.