Plan to upgrade Thika Municipality to smart industrial city is welcome

Plans by Kiambu county to upgrade Thika Municipality to a smart manufacturing city is welcome news to Kenyans. Thika town has been nicknamed the “Birmingham” of Kenya because it was at the centre of the industrial revolution in Britain in the 18^th century, and is the first manufacturing town in the world with many similarities with the former. Thika is a top industrial and manufacturing area in Kenya but it has massive potential that needs to be exploited through strategic planning and implementation. There are several reasons as to why Thika can become a smart manufacturing and industrial city in Kenya as proposed by the county government. One, it has a population of 251,360 persons with 1.7 percent of the total urban population in Kenya, according to the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census (KPHC). This population, which is cosmopolitan in nature including being the top three urban area in Kenya with a high population of Hindu and Indian populations, is essential for provision of labour and entrepreneurial prowess for manufacturing and industrialization. Secondly, from the theory and policy direction wise, elevation of Thika municipality to city status will come with better governance of urban affairs as anticipated in the Urban Areas and Cities Act 2011 and as amended several including in 2015 and 2019.

The city will have to adopt an integrated development plan, key to service delivery. Thirdly, it will come up with adequate revenue collection and management systems to improve its performance and service delivery. The Thika city will have to provide adequate infrastructure, adequate waste collection and management systems and sanitation standards for the city residents. Fourthly, the city management board formed after elevation will ensure that services reach the citizens, ensure compliance with policies formulated at the national and county government levels. These will spur more investments and setting up of industries in the city.

Fifthly, city status will attract financing from a variety of sources including major development partners like the World Bank and actualization of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to cement the city as the Birmingham of Kenya. to become a smart city as proposed by the county, Thika city must be planned to ensure interconnected systems that leverage on technology to provide and manage effectively a variety of urban services and facilities like transportation, energy, water, commercial and retail centres, recreation and housing Dr. Mutegi Giti, Urban management, Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) & Environment Specialist. mutegigiti@gmail.com, @danielgiti.