Wamatangi aims to make Thika first city in Mount Kenya region

A signage that welcomes one to Thika Town. [File, Standard]

Nestled in the heart of Kiambu County, Thika, which boasts a population of over 700,000 people, is a town on the brink of a major transition after Governor Kimani Wamatangi set in motion a plan to make it Kenya's newest city.

Wamatangi hosted a breakfast meeting for stakeholders and residents at Blue Post Hotel to discuss how the city will be beneficial to Thika residents. He implored them to support the project that would see Thika become the first city in Mt Kenya region.

The town, once regarded as Birmingham City of Africa due to its climate, agricultural productivity, urban planning, cultural heritage and industrial growth that mirrored that of Birmingham in the UK, is set to reclaim its lost glory by becoming an industrial smart city, hopefully by next year.

Thika, whose location makes it the gateway to Mt Kenya, part of Eastern and North Eastern regions, as well as other nations in the Horn of Africa, is considered one of the fastest-growing towns in Kenya, and one with a possibility of bigger growth if its potential is fully exploited.

With over 10 universities and tertiary institutions that have research and innovation centres, among them Mt Kenya University, and Gretsa University that produce thousands of graduates in various fields, and well-laid transport and communication systems, which improved its economic growth.

Located along the Trans Africa Highway corridor, Wamatangi says Thika serves both the Southern and Northern regions of Africa, making it a crucial trade corridor for countries south of the Sahara, and if made a city, it could serve the central region of East Africa and beyond.

The governor took the guests at the breakfast meeting through the elaborate plan to make Thika an industrial Smart City through a number of interventions.

He said the town has a well-connected intermodal transport network, including a superhighway to Nairobi, a railway line and a transit highway to northern Kenya. It is also approximately 40 kilometres from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

"Looking at the development of cities and big towns like Mombasa, Nairobi, Nakuru, Eldoret and Kisumu, you will notice that they all have one thing in common: they are all placed directly adjacent to communication corridors, which has made them advantageous hotspots where opportunities and talent converge and business can start to happen," Wamatangi said.

He added: "Thika is positioned directly along the trans-African route. The highways that go through Thika can be used to travel all the way to Ethiopia, Sudan and other Horn of Africa nations. The road can also be used to travel to Zambia, Malawi and South Africa. That is why the industries established in Thika flourished. In Thika, a manufacturer can package their goods and transport them to Nairobi for exportation by air or rail to Mombasa."

And with its elevation, Thika is expected to have enhanced international visibility, attracting increased funding and grants which will be used on development projects, social programmes, and other initiatives.

To achieve this goal, Governor Wamatangi has appointed ad-hoc and County technical committees to midwife the town's elevation into an industrial smart city, and the process will culminate in President William Ruto conferring it with a charter.

The teams led by former nominated Senator Sylvia Kasanga who is the chair of the ad hoc committee, have already hit the ground running, strategising and gathering comprehensive data to meet the stringent requirements of the Urban Areas and Cities Act.

The team is currently doing public participation and the round table meeting hosted by the Governor is part of the engagement to push the agenda, which was one of the key pledges in Wamatangi's manifesto.

He said the groundwork is already being laid where President Ruto's administration and the county government have partnered to invest over Sh10 billion in infrastructure, water, health, education, trade sports and other necessary initiatives to ensure the town matches city status.

From a Sh5.7 billion water reticulation project, which is being implemented in partnership with the national government to improve the capacity by Thika Water and Sewerage Company, to Sh500 million allocated for walkways and non-motorised transport, Thika is being reshaped for the future.

Further, 2,500 solar streetlights will be installed. The Kenya National Highway Authority is set to dual the Thika-Kolpin section of the Garissa route, which Wamatangi successfully lobbied to ease congestion, and cabro blocks are being installed on various roads in the town. Significant improvements are also being made in the slums of Kiandutu, Umoja and Matharau for Sh500 million.

County Executive Committee Member of Housing, Planning and Urban Development Salome Wainaina says roads are being upgraded to bitumen standard, drainage systems improved and title deeds processed, ensuring a better quality of life for residents. Further, under the Kenya Urban Support Program, the County is implementing Sh256 million on infrastructure projects. Sports and recreation facilities are not left behind.

Thika Stadium is being modernised for Sh250 million. About 25,000 affordable housing units are set for construction in Thika, including in the ceded Delmote land.