Thika Industrial Metropolis Walk Rallies Stakeholders Behind Smart City Vision

Business leaders, government officials, academia and young people have rallied behind efforts to transform Thika into a modern industrial smart city, while calling for improved infrastructure, security, lighting and a conducive environment for businesses and investors.

The stakeholders spoke during the second Thika 2.0 Industrial Metropolis Walk, held over the weekend and organised by the Thika District Business Association (TDBA) in partnership with the County Government of Kiambu and other stakeholders.

The eight-kilometre walk took participants through several major roads within Thika, including Workshop Road, Haile Selassie Road, Thika Superhighway, Thika-Garissa Highway, General Kago Road and Kenyatta Highway, before culminating in recreational activities and inter-corporate games involving different companies and individuals at Hindi Mahila Mandal Nursery School Grounds.

According to TDBA Chairman Alfred Wanyoike, the initiative is aimed at showcasing Thika’s economic potential, strengthening partnerships among stakeholders and assessing the town’s preparedness for its anticipated elevation to city status.

“This is our second walk and its main purpose is to showcase what we have in Thika as we prepare to become a city. We are inviting investors and other people from outside Thika to come and see who we are, what we have and the opportunities available here,” Wanyoike said.

He noted that achieving the envisioned city status would require collective responsibility involving the business community, county and national governments as well as other stakeholders.

“We also want to evaluate where we are, identify what is still missing and determine what each of us needs to do. There is a role for the business community, the County Government and the National Government if we are to achieve the Thika we envision,” he added.

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Kiambu County Executive Committee Member for Youth Affairs, Sports and Communication Osman Korar said the county administration was working closely with the business community to improve the environment for investment and prepare Thika for its transformation into a smart city.

Korar cited improved street lighting, regular clean-up exercises, security interventions and planned support for small businesses as some of the measures being undertaken by the county.

“The Governor has installed more lights around the CBD to create an environment that can support a 24-hour business ecosystem. We have also been working with corporates, the business community and our Environment Department on regular clean-up exercises to ensure that Thika remains clean and provides a good working environment,” Korar said.

He added that security would be critical to sustaining a vibrant night-time economy, noting that the county administration continued to work with security agencies to ensure residents, traders and visitors felt safe.

Korar further said the county was working on initiatives aimed at empowering young people and small and medium-sized enterprises.

“We are coming up with a fund that will support SMEs and small enterprises. All these initiatives are part of determining where we are, where we want to go and what needs to be done to get there,” he said.

According to Korar, the long-term objective is to restore Thika’s position as one of Kenya’s leading industrial centres while adapting the town to the demands of a modern city.

“We want to see Thika reclaim its place as the industrial hub it once was. That requires a strategic plan and close cooperation between government, businesses and the community,” he added.

Prof. Peter Wanderi of Mount Kenya University (MKU) welcomed the business community’s involvement in preparations for city status, saying the transformation would come with greater responsibilities for residents and institutions.

“We are very happy that the Thika District Business Association is taking the lead in preparing stakeholders for the upcoming city status. Every achievement comes with responsibility, and this requires teamwork from all of us,” Prof. Wanderi said.

He stressed the importance of incorporating sustainable development and volunteerism into Thika’s transformation, arguing that attaining city status should go beyond physical infrastructure to include active citizen participation.

“As we work towards city status, we need to acknowledge the Sustainable Development Goals and embrace volunteerism. This gives Thika an opportunity to position itself as a hub for volunteer activities, both nationally and globally,” he said.

Prof. Wanderi added that community initiatives undertaken as part of the city transformation could be documented and linked to broader international volunteerism programmes, helping give Thika greater visibility beyond Kenya.

Youth representative and Green Warriors 237 chairperson George Wachiuri called for environmental sustainability to be placed at the heart of the proposed smart city.

Wachiuri said Thika’s position as a major industrial centre meant environmental considerations, particularly carbon emissions and green spaces, should form an integral part of its transformation.

“We support the project of making Thika a smart city, but we would also like the National Government to create a conducive environment for Thika to become a green industrial smart city. Thika is one of Kenya’s major industrial hubs, and carbon emissions are therefore an important issue that must be addressed,” Wachiuri said.

He also appealed to the national and county governments to prioritise expansion of roads and other infrastructure, warning that Thika’s existing traffic challenges could worsen as its population grows.

“Thika is already known for traffic congestion, yet we expect the population to increase significantly once it becomes a city. The National Government, in partnership with the County Government, needs to expand the roads and ensure that infrastructure can accommodate that growth,” he said.

Wachiuri noted that ongoing housing developments, including affordable housing projects, were also likely to attract more residents, further increasing demand for roads, social amenities and other services.

For traders and entrepreneurs, the city dream is also expected to translate into greater business opportunities.

Moses Kirinya Kirima, Manager at Black & Gold Tonsorium, said the business community expects the County Government of Kiambu to create more spaces and opportunities for existing and upcoming entrepreneurs.

“There are many people who would like to start businesses in Thika, but opportunities and suitable spaces are limited. We would like the County Government to expand infrastructure so that more entrepreneurs who want to invest here can find room to operate,” Kirima said.

He also called for more lighting within the town centre and surrounding areas to facilitate extended business hours.

“If we want Thika to operate as a 24-hour economy, we need adequate lighting not only within the CBD but also in the surrounding areas. Security must equally be strengthened because businesses cannot operate throughout the night if traders and customers do not feel safe,” he said.

The Thika 2.0 Industrial Metropolis Walk forms part of growing efforts by the business community, government agencies and other stakeholders to build public participation around Thika’s future and highlight the interventions required for its transition into a modern city.

For the stakeholders, however, attaining city status is only part of the ambition. Their broader vision is to position Thika as a green, secure and investor-friendly industrial metropolis with a vibrant 24-hour economy, while ensuring that infrastructure and public services keep pace with the population and economic growth expected to accompany the transformation.