Thika set to become Kenya’s sixth city after application passes test

By , February 27, 2025

Thika is set to become Kenya’s sixth city after an ad hoc committee cleared it for the status.

While handing over its report to Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi, the team led by the Chairperson Prof Silvia Kasanga, said its findings showed that Thika meets the criteria for a city in accordance with the Urban and Cities Act.

“Our recommendation is that Thika municipality is ready for city status. More importantly, it has demonstrated its readiness to embrace the responsibilities and opportunities that come with being a city as outlined in the Urban and Cities (Amendment) Act 2019,” said Prof Kasanga.

She added that the report was drafted after the requisite engagements including public participation forums, sectorial consultations, data collection and intergovernmental consultations.

This sets the stage for the town be transformed into an “industrial smart city” which is one of Governor Wamatangi’s flagship projects and vision for the populous county.

City status for an urban area means it qualifies for more benefits, grants, national staff and attracts more people and investments.

It must also meet conditions established in the Urban Areas and Cities (Amendment) Act which include a population of at least 250,000 people and be able to generate sufficient revenue to sustain it to qualify as a city.

For a town to achieve city status, it must have an integrated urban or city development plan, as well as functional administration systems with adequate records.

Thika has a population of over 350,000 residents according to the 2019 national census, which surpasses the required figure.

Additionally, the municipality must be able to efficiently provide vital services while actively engaging residents in the management of its affairs and key requirements include proper infrastructure such as roads, street lighting, markets, fire stations and sufficient disaster response facilities as well as maintain an effective waste disposal system.

Wamatangi who was accompanied by members of the County Assembly and other local leaders said Thika has had a long history of industrial development and was at one time referred to as the ‘Birmingham of Kenya’.

“This is a dream about to come true which was envisaged in the 1970’s when Thika was the second most industrialized town after Nairobi and was known as the Birmingham of Kenya,” said Wamatangi.

He added that after Nairobi and Mombasa, Kiambu is the third county that generates most revenue in the country.

If approved by the Senate Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations and forwarded to the President for conferment to city status, Thika will join Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret in the league of Kenyan cities.

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