Thika (Gikuyu:[ˈθika]) is an industrial town and commerce hub in Kiambu County, Kenya, lying on the A2 road42 kilometres (26mi), northeast of Nairobi, near the confluence of the Thika and Chania Rivers. Although Thika town is administratively in Kiambu County, the greater Thika area comprising residential areas such as Bendor estate, Maporomoko, Thika Greens, Thika Golden Pearl, Bahati Ridge, and Thika Sports Club, among others, are within Murang'a County. Thika had a population of 279,429 as of the 2019 National Census and is growing rapidly. Its elevation is approximately 1,631 metres (5,351ft).
Thika is home to Chania Falls and Fourteen Falls on the River Athi. Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park lies to the southeast. The town has a railway station with limited passenger service as only cargo trains operate, although there are plans to extend the proposed light rail system to Thika.
The town was the headquarters of Thika West district following the split of the larger Thika district (created in 1994) into five districts: Ruiru, Gatundu, Gatanga, Thika East and Thika West. It was the seat of the South Central regional commissioner (deputy Provincial Commissioner) for Central Province appointed by the then President Mwai Kibaki in 2009 who was in charge of the larger Kiambu, Thika and Murang'a districts. However, under Kenya's new constitution, which recognizes only the 47 districts in existence as at 1992 as semi-autonomous counties, Thika town falls under Kiambu County while some residential areas of Thika are in Murang'a county. Although Kiambu Town is the county headquarters, Thika Town has the largest economy in Kiambu County.
There are two explanations for the origin of the name Thika. One has it coming from the Kikuyu word Guthika, meaning "to bury". During a great drought, the Maasai people ventured outside of their normal territories looking for water for their huge herds of cattle. Two rivers pass through Kikuyu land, the Thika and the Chania, providing sustenance for the agricultural Kikuyu. With both tribes desperate for survival, they fought a bloody battle that left few survivors. A mound near Blue Posts Hotel supposedly marks where the slain warriors were buried. Thika was also used as a memorial burial site for soldiers who fought in World War II.
Monument in Thika
The other theory claims it was derived from the Maasai word Sika meaning "rubbing something off an edge".
In addition, the area was inhabited by the Akamba tribe and hence was a border region between three communities.
Towards the end of the 19th century, Europeans and Asians settled Thika, establishing schools, farms, health-care and businesses in the region. A monument in the shape of a pillar was erected by the British in the early 1900s in the central business district of Thika, commemorating the founding of Thika as a town. The town was given its status by the government gazette in 1924. Thereafter it was elevated to a municipality when Kenya gained independence in 1963, and the first mayor was chosen in 1968.
The town has historical sites like the Mugumo Gardens, which is named for the giant fig tree where the ancient legendary seer Mugo wa Kibiro prophesied. Believers claim that all of his prophesies have come to pass. According to legend, the fall of the tree would symbolise the fall of British rule in Kenya. The British government reinforced the tree to prevent it from falling but it split into two parts and fell in two stages in 1963. This land is said to have belonged to the first president, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.
Media Stations
Thika Town is home to a number of media houses, including radio and TV stations. There are also several print media houses.
Chania FM, Kenya
Chania FM, Kenya is a media outlet under the parent company, Chania Media Prospects. Founded in 2019, it is part of several other media outlets managed by the parent company and focuses on the larger Kiambu County and other neighboring counties. It is the first radio station in Kenya to be a dedicated country music station.
Gladys Chania, is not to be confused as she is also from this town
Economic activities
Thika is externally serviced by an eight-lane superhighway, a highway to Garissa and the rest of north-east Kenya, a highway to the central highlands and a railway line (with plans to add a passenger light rail to Nairobi). Internally, the town has a well maintained road network.
The main economic activities include agricultural processing, particularly in horticulture and pineapple (exported mainly to Europe), coffee (exports mainly to the United States and Europe), cooking oils (to the rest of Kenya and eastern Africa) and animal feed processing. Other industries include textile (cotton), macadamia nuts, wheat, tannery, motor vehicle assemblies, cigarette manufacturing, bakeries, packaging and industrial chemicals. About 100 small-scale industries and about 50 major factories exist in and around the town. The service sector is well represented with the establishment and growth of a number of educational and financial institutions. Thika is home or close to three universities, tens of middle-level colleges, hundreds of secondary and primary schools and dozens of financial institutions.
Thika has a bustling nightlife with clubs like Blend and The Garage Bar & Grill, modern recreation centers and significant retail trading operations. The growth of the greater Nairobi region and improved infrastructure and services has led to new residential estates.
Campus goers flock to Thika and neighbouring town Juja for a weekend of fun
Bidco Oil Refineries
Bidco Oil Refineries, headquartered in Thika, is East Africa's leading edible oil, soaps and detergents, margarine and baking powder marketer with more than 30 brands. A number of brands have a majority market share in their domain. Some of their brands that are household names include (Edible Oils) Elianto, Sun Gold, Soya Gold, Olive Gold and Golden Fry; In the fats section Kimbo, Cowboy and Chipsy; in the Laundry Segment are Power Boy Pro Active Liquid and Powder detergent, Gental, the Star Series soaps; The personal care segment include Pure n Natural Woman and Man; Margarines are Gold Band and Biddy's and Mariandazi baking powder. The plant at Thika employs more than 2000 people.
Del-Monte Pineapples
Del Monte is one of the world's biggest producers, marketers and distributors of fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables, as well as a leading producer and distributor of prepared fruit and vegetables, juices, beverages, snacks and desserts in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Geography
The town is located on a gentle plain before the ascent into the central highlands. Small valleys are on the western and northern edges following the Chania and Thika Rivers that have waterfalls and meet on the northwestern edge of Thika. Thika Town is also home to Kenya's magical and breathtaking Fourteen Falls which is located 65 kilometres (40mi) northeast of Nairobi off the Thika-Garissa Road. The Fourteen Falls consist of 14 distinct waterfalls on the broad section of the famous River Athi.
Climate
Thika has a subtropical highland climate (Köppen: Cwb) with sunshine most of the year and an average annual temperature of 19.8°C, with the hottest period in March and April leading to the long rains and the coldest in July. The "long rains" season lasts from March/April to May/June with the "short rains" season running from October to November/December.
Local government
Before the 2010 constitution, the local government consisted of a thirteen-member Municipal Council, with responsibilities for governmental functions delegated to appointed committees. The mayor was chosen from among the elected or nominated councilors for one-year terms. However, with the new constitution, the municipality was abolished. The town is now under the governance of Kiambu County.
The town in 2008 signed a sister city agreement with Dixon, Illinois to create new economic, cultural and social opportunities.[1]
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nairobi, which translates to 'place of cool waters', a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper had a population of 4,397,073 in the 2019 census.
Murang'a County is one of the counties of Kenya's former Central Province. Its largest town and capital is Murang'a, which was referred to as Fort Hall during the colonial era. The county is inhabited mainly by, and is considered the birthplace of the Gikuyu, the largest ethnic group in Kenya. The county had a population of 1,056,640 in the 2019 census.
Ruiru is a municipality and sub-county in Kiambu County, Kenya. It sits within the greater Nairobi Metropolitan region. According to the 2019 national population census, Ruiru was the 4th largest urban centre in Kenya by population. The name Ruiru is of the Kikuyu origin and possibly relates to the black cotton soil that is found in most parts of Ruiru.
Kiambu is a town in Kiambu County, Kenya. It is 14 km (8.7 mi) from the national capital, Nairobi. It is the capital of Kiambu County, which bounds the northern border of Nairobi. Other proximate towns are Ruiru, Gatundu, Limuru and Kabete.
Murang'a is a town in Murang'a County of Kenya. Before the independence of Kenya in 1963, this town used to be called Fort Hall. It is the administrative centre of Murang'a County and is mainly inhabited by the Kikuyu community. According to the 2019 census, the town had a population of about 110,000.
Kiambu County is a county in the former Central Province of Kenya. Its capital is Kiambu and its largest town is Thika town. Kiambu County is the second most populous county in Kenya after Nairobi County. Kiambu County borders Nairobi and Kajiado Counties to the South, Machakos to the East, Murang'a to the North and North East, Nyandarua to the North West, and Nakuru to the West. It has a population of 2,417,735.
Gatundu is a small town in Kiambu County of Kenya. It is known for the first Kenyan president Jomo Kenyatta who lived about three kilometres away from the town, as well as his son, Uhuru Kenyatta, the 4th President of Kenya and former Member of Parliament representing Gatundu South Constituency. The town is located on a hill surrounded by many farms and residences.
Local authorities in Kenya are the bodies controlling local governance in urban areas in Kenya.
Kikuyu is a town in Kiambu County, Kenya, which grew from a settlement of colonial missionaries. The town is located about 20 km (12 mi) northwest of central Nairobi. It is about 20 minutes from Nairobi via a number of routes, including a dual carriage road,the Southern Bypass and has a railway station on the Mombasa – Malaba Railway Line. The town is named after the Kikuyu/Gĩkũyũ people, the major ethnicity that settled in the area. As of 2019, the total population was 323,881.
Railway stations in Kenya include:
The Thika River flows through Kiambu County in central Kenya and is a tributary of the Tana River. The river forms a psychological boundary between the counties of Murang'a and Kiambu. The Thika River is a significant source of hydroelectric power in Kenya and provides most of the water supply for Nairobi, Kenya's capital and largest city.
Ol Donyo Sabuk, or Kyanzavi in Kamba, is a mountain in Kwanzaa Division, Machako's County, William Northrup McMillan was the first non native to settle here.
Dagoretti is an area in the western part of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. It straddles the Nairobi and Kiambu County boundary with the Dagoretti Road Reserve marking the psychological border point heading Northerly and North-Easterly. Administratively it is one of eight divisions of Nairobi. The Dagoretti division is divided into six Locations. The former electoral Dagoretti Constituency had the same boundaries as the now defunct Dagoretti division.
Githurai is a composition of densely populated, urban, mixed-use settlements located at the border of Nairobi County and Kiambu County along the Thika Road. Githurai is divided into two; Githurai 45 and Githurai 44. Githurai 45 falls under Ruiru Municipality in the Githurai Sub-county of Kiambu County with the boundary being the Thika Road reserve and River Kasarani downstream. Githurai 44 is domiciled in the Kasarani Sub-county of Nairobi County. Githurai 44 neighbours Kahawa West, Zimmerman and Njatha-ini Village.
Juja is a town in Kiambu County in Kenya. It is the home town of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).
Sub-counties, formerly known as Districts, are the decentralised units through which government of Kenya provides functions and services. At national level, sub-counties take a more administrative function like security, statistical purposes, provision of government services, etc. Even though the sub-counties are divisions of counties, powers to create new national sub-counties lies with the national government. As of 2023, there are 314 sub-counties, compared to 290 constituencies. A deputy county commissioner is appointed by the state to lead each sub-county. The sub-counties are further divided into divisions, locations and sub-locations.
Simon Gicharu is an educationalist and founder of Mount Kenya University, which is East and Central Africa’s largest private university. He is also the founder of Mount Kigali University in Rwanda. He was born in 1964 in Gathiruini village, Kiambu County, Kenya. He is the first in a family of seven. Gicharu is also the Chairman of the Water Services Regulatory Board and National Private Universities Owners Association of Kenya. He is the founder of Equip Africa Institute and patron of the Mount Kenya University Graduate Enterprise Academy. He is also a board member at Thika Water and Sewerage Company, and the patron of Inter Universities Rover Moot under the Kenya Scouts Association. In 2015, Gicharu was named the Eastern African Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and subsequently inducted into the Ernst and Young Hall of Fame. He is married with three children.
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