ZIWANI ESTATE: The Bricks of Memory, Shadows of Change

The History

In the heart of Thika Town, just over a kilometre from the Central Business District, lies a forgotten yet historic neighbourhood — Ziwani Estate. Tucked between institutions, churches, garages, cemeteries and a university, Ziwani has quietly witnessed the changing face of Thika for nearly a century.

A Name Borrowed, A Community Born

Ziwani's story begins in the 1950s or early 1960s, during British colonial rule. Its name, Ziwani, meaning “by the water” in Kiswahili, was borrowed from the better-known Ziwani Estate in Nairobi, a common colonial tradition of replicating estate names and planning models across towns.

In Thika, Ziwani was established as a satellite estate for African civil servants and skilled workers, most of whom were employed by the colonial government. It was strategically located near key public service institutions: the hospital, cemeteries, technical colleges and the municipal offices.

The houses were built in a standard utilitarian style — solid stone or brick, low-rise, with rectangular layouts and modest yards. These homes, while simple, were clean, uniform, and functional. Ziwani offered 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and 3-bedroom units, attracting Thika’s early African elite.

From the 1960s through the early 2000s, Ziwani was a symbol of status and stability. Teachers, clerks and civil servants called it home. Neighbours knew each other by name. The environment was clean, safe and dignified. To live in Ziwani was to belong.

Ziwani’s Evolution

But as Thika expanded, Ziwani began to change.

Today, the estate stands at a delicate crossroads. Its once-pristine tarmac roads are now faded and cracked. Many original homes still stand but have been modified with informal extensions, some to accommodate larger families, others converted into rental rooms or small businesses targeting nearby students from Mount Kenya University and Thika Technical Training Institute, especially along the roadsides.

This densification has led to overcrowding, inadequate lighting and rising security concerns. Residents now speak of unfamiliar faces, petty crime and reduced communal cohesion. The old estate is slowly becoming a patchwork of original heritage and informal sprawl , a metaphor for many of Kenya’s aging urban settlements.

The Affordable Housing Threat

More recently, Ziwani has come under threat from a national directive.

Like many other legacy estates in Kenya, Ziwani has been targeted for possible demolition under the government's Affordable Housing Programme (AHP). This programme seeks to replace older, low-density estates with high-rise apartments meant to house more people in modern units.

But tenants of Ziwani are pushing back. In solidarity with residents of Kimathi and Magoko estates, Ziwani residents have petitioned the Kiambu County Assembly, demanding the right to purchase the houses they’ve lived in for decades. They are asking the county to consider outright purchase agreements or a Tenant Purchase Scheme (TPS) similar to that adopted in the 1990s in Kamenu Estate, Makongeni.

So far, the County Assembly has acknowledged the petition and referred it to the Lands and Housing Committee but no resolution has been passed.

Challenges on the Ground

Ziwani is not just facing threats from policy, but from within. The estate roads are deteriorated, drainage is poor in some parts and water supply is inconsistent.

Residents have constructed additional rooms or rental units, many without formal approval. Several houses now double up as shops or hostels, further eroding the estate’s original residential identity. Overcrowding and a transient population have introduced new vulnerabilities.

Despite these challenges, community spirit remains, albeit strained under the weight of uncertainty.

Location and Population

Ziwani’s location remains prime. It sits along General Kago Road, bordered by PCEA Elijah Kagiri Church, Kimilili Garage, Jamhuri Market and Ofafa Estate (Mafiriko side). 

Across the road are the Old Thika Cemetery, Muslim Cemetery, and the Colonial British War Memorial Cemetery, solemn reminders of Thika’s layered past.

It also neighbours Mount Kenya University (MKU), Thika Technical and General Kago Primary School, all critical anchors in the town’s modern growth.

With an estimated population of 800 to 1,200 residents and under 500 registered voters, Ziwani remains a small but symbolically significant estate.

Administratively, the estate lies within Starehe Sub-location, Biashara Location, in the Municipality Division of Thika Town Constituency. Politically, it falls under Hospital Ward, Kiambu County.

Will Heritage Survive Modernisation?

As government bulldozers idle and planners mark blueprints, one question hangs over Ziwani like a shadow: Is there room for heritage in the rush for development?

If Ziwani is erased without care, Kenya doesn’t just lose old houses, it loses the living memory of how towns like Thika were built. It loses a piece of its soul.

As for Ziwani residents, the fight is not just for bricks and land, it’s a fight for belonging, dignity, and history.