Bad politics cost Thika Sh1bn smart city allocation— Wamatangi

Thika residents have been urged to keep politics and politicians out of realisation of Thika industrial smart city as an ad hoc committee is inaugurated by Governor Kimani Wamatangi.

The ad hoc committee appointed according to the urban areas and cities Act to spearhead the elevation of Thika town into a smart city, were on Tuesday handed their appointment letters at Kiambu county government headquarters in Kiambu town.

They include Sylivia Kasanga, Zachary Ng'ang'a, Cecilia Mwangi, Gitu Kahengeri, T.G Ndorogo, Jeanter Warigi and Julius Macharia.

The team is to commence work immediately where they are supposed to tour Thika city and conduct public participation. They will also visit both Thika East and West towns and later prepare a report that will be presented to the county assembly for approval. This will later be taken to the Senate for approval. The process is expected to take six months.

Governor Wamatangi while speaking during the inaugural ceremony of the committee implored on the committee to avoid politics as they conduct their duties.

The governor had initiated the process of elevating Thika into a smart city but the process was thwarted by some politicians opposed to the process.

The county boss said if Kiambu had Thika as a city, it would have had an allocation of close to Sh1 billion from the World Bank.

"There are municipalities commissioned that will be benefitting within this current budget with huge funds like Juja municipality that would be receiving more than Sh296 million. Supposing we had finalised, Thika would have had Sh1 billion allocation but we lost that due to bad politics," he said.

The county boss said his administration has what it takes to turn Thika into a smart city as it has been the model of industrial development of the country for ages.

"There was a time Thika was more aggressive and its contribution was so high and used to make it possible for the Kiambu collection of councils to lend money to the national government," he said.

Kiambu county assembly majority leader Godfrey Muceke said MCAs will ensure they give the required support for Thika to get city status. 

"When I saw the governor's manifesto which had plans of smart city, I thought he only wanted it to become colourful but now it's a reality as the manifesto had a roadmap and with that road map, as MCAs we will walk hand in hand to achieve it," Muceke said.

He said MCAs have vowed not to let politicians or politics interfere with the idea of Thika smart city.

"We as elected members of the assembly, the only thing that we have in common is that we are not going to allow politics to stand in the way of us pursuing this great vision that will be beneficial to our people," he said.

Peter Mburu, Kamenu ward MCA in Thika subcounty, said by Thika being elevated to a smart city, it will attract funding that will spur development as being a municipality will see it get Sh300 million allocation while a city will get Sh1 billion.

Mburu said the city status will see infrastructure upgraded which in turn will create a good environment for business and increase business opportunities.

He called on businesspeople not to be lied to that once Thika becomes a city licenses and levies payments will go up.

"We are ready to conduct a public participation to talk to our people and inform them what a smart city entails and demystify the lies that they have been fed by politicians who are seeking selfish interests," he said.

He however said there will be a charter formed for the city that once passed by the county assembly and Senate, the city will be managed by the county government as it is devolved.