Kiambu residents and stakeholders have championed Thika Municipality's City Status Bid, calling it a dream that is long overdue. 

Following a high-level consultative meeting with Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi, the Senate Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations moved to the Mount Kenya University Pavilion earlier today to hear directly from the people of Thika. 

This exercise in robust public participation demonstrated that the majority of residents and local organizations are firmly in favor of Thika Municipality’s elevation to city status.

The drive for city status is backed by strong demographic and economic data that underscores the area's growth. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) confirmed to the Committee that Thika’s population stands at 284,727, comfortably exceeding the legal requirement of 250,000 residents. 

Governor Wamatangi further emphasized that Thika is the second most industrialized town in Kenya, currently hosting more than 1,000 industries engaged in manufacturing, agro-processing, and financial services.

During the hearings, various community representatives shared a unified vision for the future city, highlighting how the transition would address longstanding local needs. 

The Thika Residents Association expressed a deep commitment to the transition, noting that city status would finally ensure that the infrastructural development matches the town's rapid population growth. 

Supporting this sentiment, the Kiambu County Poultry Farmers Co-operative Society stated that the elevation would boost farmers' income by increasing food demand and attracting investors for value-addition industries. 

The farmers further noted that city status would unlock more funding for Thika to invest in road infrastructure, which is essential to ensuring farm produce reaches markets on time.

Representing the business community, Thika Small Traders Association Chairperson Joshua Kariuki Njuguna stated that the traders "have no objection to the conferment of city status" 

However, the association requested that the government prioritize specific improvements to accompany the elevation, such as the re-carpeting of the feeder roads and the enlargement of water supply to meet growing demand. 

The National Land Commission (NLC) also weighed in, concluding that Thika meets the threshold for a city conferment and raising no adverse comments on the application.

The Senate Committee will conclude its mission tomorrow by conducting physical inspections of essential services, including waste management facilities, health centers, and fire stations. 

These site visits are designed to verify Thika's capacity to deliver the comprehensive range of services required of a modern city under the Urban Areas and Cities Act, bringing the municipality one step closer to becoming the first city in the Mount Kenya region.