“No Services, No Money”, Thika business community tell Kiambu County.

Business in Thika town came to a standstill on Monday morning for more than three hours as traders closed shop to air their grievances to the County Government of Kiambu protesting over a raft of issues.

Led by the Thika District Business Association (TDBA), the traders vowed not to pay any more business levies to Kiambu until all their grievances were addressed.

They made a peaceful procession around the town before presenting their petition to the Sub-County Admin Christopher Wanjau who promised to look into their grievances.

“From today onward, we will not pay any levies to the county government until they address all our grievances. Being the biggest contributors to the county government’ revenue collection, we demand for services equivalent to the money we pay to them,” said Alfred Wanyoike the TDBA Chairman as 

he addressed the traders.

Among other grievances, the traders want the devolved government to immediately fix the dilapidated road network by sealing all potholes, unclogging drainage channels and covering all open manholes within the CBD.

The traders are also demanding for the repair, installation and maintenance of street lights, regular collection of garbage, addressing the issue of parking and parking rates as well as coming up with a permanent solution to the thorny issue of hawkers and those who have erected business structures in front of other people’s businesses.

There has also been a trend by county enforcement officers harassing the traders and demanding them to review their license payments upwards, something that has not been going well with the business community.

“We also demand that you re-organise the transport industry to with a view to de-congesting the town, address the issue of street families as well as many beggars that have invaded the town,” Wanyoike added.