Governor Wamatangi Thika City Status

Cup pressure peaks as Shabana host Kenya Police in blockbuster quarter-final Football

Upper Hill coach Walgwe unperturbed despite drawing giants in Prescott Cup group phase Rugby

The Senate Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations on Wednesday held a public participation exercise in Thika on a proposal to elevate the town to city status, with residents, leaders and industry players backing the move.

The public hearing, led by committee vice chairperson Catherine Mumma, took place at Mount Kenya University Graduation Pavilion, bringing together industrialists, businesspeople, small-scale traders and residents, who overwhelmingly backed the plan being spearheaded by Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi.

Governor Wamatangi told the committee that the proposal to make Thika an industrial smart city was anchored in his 2022 campaign manifesto and has guided his administration’s development agenda.

“The agenda of making Thika town an industrial smart city was part of my campaign manifesto. Besides the vision and process, we have been undertaking development to ensure Thika has city status,” he said.

The governor recalled that during campaigns, he presented a document outlining his vision and pledged to work with residents to achieve the goal.

“When I started seeking the Kiambu governor seat in 2021, I told residents that if they elected me, we would work together and bring our ideas together to make this town a city,” he said.

He added that his administration has since taken deliberate steps to meet the legal and infrastructural thresholds required for conferment of city status.

“We have been taking it step by step and walking the journey. By the grace of God, we have reached this level. We have been working together with the senator to bridge every gap, from schools to hospitals, to ensure we go as planned,” Wamatangi said.

Under the Urban Areas and Cities Act, a municipality must meet set criteria, including population thresholds, infrastructure, integrated development planning and financial sustainability before it can be declared a city.

Kiambu Senator Karungo wa Thang’wa declared his full support for the proposal and urged the Senate to fast-track the process.

“As the senator for Kiambu, I fully support the proposal by Governor Kimani Wamatangi to elevate Thika into an industrial smart city. Thika is ready to be a city,” he said.

The senator also asked the House to expedite the process that will ultimately see President William Ruto advised to confer a city charter.

“Today is not just any other meeting. It is a very important moment where your voices will help determine the future of Thika. We are here to listen to what wananchi are saying,” he said.

He noted that the law sets out specific requirements that must be met before elevation and urged stakeholders to flag any gaps early.

“I know, according to the Act, a county has to meet certain requirements before being declared a city. If you see any gaps, let me know so that I can follow up with the governor,” he said.

The elevation bid has also received strong backing from the private sector.

Broadways Managing Director Bimal Shah said the town’s industrial base makes it a natural candidate for city status.

“I have been in this town for 67 years, and I have seen it grow from a small municipality to what it is today. You can imagine the passion I have when our governor takes such a bold step,” Shah said.

He noted that as one of the oldest industries in Thika, the company supports the elevation, citing the town’s significant industrial footprint.

“Thika’s industrial base is one of the best in any town in Kenya. In the last five years, we have seen more than 15 industries relocate to Thika. That shows how attractive this town is,” he said.

Shah said city status could unlock further investments, including the possibility of attracting a major data centre under the proposed smart city framework.

“With smart city status, we are confident we could even attract one of the biggest data centres. But we must also understand that nothing comes free. Rates may go up, wages may go up and expectations will rise,” he said.

Former Thika mayor Mumbi Ngaru said the elevation has been a long-standing dream for residents.

“It has always been our dream to have Thika elevate from a municipality to a city, and we are glad that Governor Kimani Wamatangi is making that a reality,” she said.

Thika, located about 45 kilometres from Nairobi, has historically been referred to as Kenya’s industrial town, hosting large-scale manufacturing plants and serving as a commercial hub for the Mt Kenya region.

If approved, Thika would join Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret as Kenya’s cities, with the process now set to move through technical evaluation and Senate approval before final conferment.