For a long time, Thika has been, just but a small town with small town activities. But this shy town might just rise to the levels of giants soon with the anticipated Thika Smart City status. Exactly a century ago, Thika earned its status as a town, when it was gazetted as such in 1924.
Just 2 decades prior, Thika had been a wild, jungle with natives from the Masaai, Kamba and Kikuyu communities living, farming and grazing here. The transition into a commercial hub began in the early 1910s when Asians moved to open retail shops. Shortly after, a few European settlers joined them.
One of the most famous settlers was the late Hugh Cholmondeley, owner of the Delamere farm and an earlyBritish settler in Kenya. By 1963, when Kenya gained Independence, the town had grown enough to attract the Municipality status.
Commercial Hub
Today, Thika is a thriving industrial and commercial hub with multiple learning institutions, production industries and SME businesses Thika has a rich network of roads connecting the town to four major regions ; North Eastern, Eastern, Central and the Country’s Capital Nairobi. The town also has a Railway line that connects it to Nanyuki. The Meter Gauge Railway starts at the Nairobi station, giving residents an alternative means of transport.
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Thika Smart City Status
The current Kiambu governor, Kimani Wa Matangi has been on a quest to transform Thika Town into a Smart City. According to information from the County government, the journey to smart city status was at 60% as of 2024, with several upgrades made to achieve that dream.
Just recently, in September, 2024, the Kenya National Highways Authority committed to constructing 61 kms of road in and around the town. Several roads will be upgraded with additional lanes while the Thika-Garissa road will be dualed.
Ol Donyo Sabuk in Kilimambogo, Thika is a popular Hiking Destination. The location holds potential for hospitality real estate.
Locations set to benefit from the road upgrades include Kenol, Kilimambogo and Gatanga. Residential areas along the Thika Garissa Highway as well as commercial parts of the Thika Central Business District (CBD) will also gain.
Beyond upgrading roads, other major developments have pushed the town closer to smart city status. There is a plan to upgrade the town’s informal settlement, Kiandutu. The county government will also expand the town’s water capacity and introduce a better waste management system .
Thika’s Special Economic Zones
“Also on the list is a Economic Processing Zone (EPZ), which has already been gazetted after Mr Wamatangi set aside 324 acres of the ceded Delmonte Land, 25,000 affordable housing units, an international-standard stadium whose first phase is underway, markets and hospitals.
“The County has also partnered with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to manage waste better at the Kang’oki dumpsite that adopts inventive semi-aerobic landfill techniques,” reads part of a report on the County Government’s website.
As expected, these developments, have drawn the attention of real estate developers and land selling companies. There is a renewed focus on Thika real estate as its value is likely to go up in the coming days. New real estate developments are coming up and more value added plots within the area are making their way into the market.
As Thika Town journeys toward the smart city dream, real estate developments within the area are worth watching closely.
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