• It will serve Landless, Happy Valley, Gatundu, Storm Water and Magana estates that have been flooding during rainy seasons.
• Thika Municipality manager Fredrick Karanja said the project is part of the Sh305 million development programmes being undertaken in the area.
Flooding in some sections of Thika town will be contained after the completion of a Sh50 million drainage project.
The project, funded by the World Bank through the Kenya Urban Support Program (KUSP) of the Kiambu county government, is 99 per cent complete, according to Urban Areas Programme Coordinator Martin Kangiri.
It will serve Landless, Happy Valley, Gatundu, Storm Water and Magana estates that have been flooding during rainy seasons.
Kangiri who spoke while inspecting the project in Thika Municipality on Saturday, said the 2.5km drainage system will serve more than 5,000 residents. It will drain water into Chania River.
“Residents raised their grievances during a public participation meeting, held in Thika to identify projects to be undertaken by the municipality, and we felt that it was apt ending their suffering. The project is on the verge of completion and will make estates within this area habitable even during the rain,” Kangiri said.
Storm Water Estate chairman Henry Muli welcomed the project. “We have knocked on so many doors seeking help to the flooding problem including going to KURA offices in Nyeri. At one time, we even paid a surveyor who came up with a bill of quantities on what would be used to drain the water from our estate. We presented it to former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo’s office, but we still didn’t get help,” he said.
Muli said that more than 300 families are displaced whenever it rains heavily.
“There have been outbreaks of waterborne diseases like bilharzia and typhoid. Arthritis cases have also been on the rise due to severe cold brought about by the floods,” he said.
Muli said the estate was named Storm Water because of frequent flooding. He said they will change the estate's name now that a drainage system has been installed.
Resident Ann Wanjiru said during rainy seasons their children do not go to school since they are unable to wade through the floodwaters.
Thika Municipality manager Fredrick Karanja said the project is part of the Sh305 million development programmes being undertaken in the area.
Karanja said other projects that have been completed include tarmacking of a 2km road in Section 9 estate and installation of street lights.
Other ongoing projects include the 5km sewer line in Kiganjo estate and beautification of Thika town which entails rehabilitation of Christina Garden (a recreation garden within Thika town) and seven roundabouts within the town.
Thika Municipal Board chairman James Thuo and Kamenu MCA Chege Waithumbi were present during the inspection.
Edited by A.N