- The Sh5 billion venture is to be coordinated by various departments including the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) and the county government.
- The initiative is part of Governor Kimani Wamatangi's plan to make Thika an Industrial Smart City.
Image: HANDOUT
The national and Kiambu county governments have embarked on the construction and expansion of a road network in Thika town and its environs.
This is meant to ease perennial traffic congestion and open up the town for more investments.
The Sh5 billion venture is to be coordinated by various departments including the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) and the county government.
The initiative is part of Governor Kimani Wamatangi's plan to make Thika an Industrial Smart City.
It will include the expansion of Garissa Road from the Thika highway flyover to the Makutano junction in the Kilimambogo area, turning it into a dual carriageway covering 25 kilometres.
Besides this, there will be two major interchanges at the entrance to Thika Town and the Gatitu junction.
Additionally, there will be dualling of the Thika-Gatanga road and the construction of a bridge near Blue Posts hotel.
However, the project has drawn concerns from some traders in the town who are likely to be displaced once construction work kicks off by the end of the year.
Governor Wamatangi, who led a team of engineers and local leaders on a tour of the proposed project, assured traders who may be affected by the road expansion that the county government would compensate them or find alternative places to do business.
“We are committed to ensuring that this project does not affect anyone's business and those who will be affected will be well catered for including finding alternative places where they can operate,” Wamatangi said.
The Governor maintained that Thika residents stand to gain immensely from the upcoming roads project and establishment of an industrial city which is expected to create thousands of jobs and business opportunities.
"One of the benefits of this new infrastructural plan is the ease of traffic flow while thousands of our youth will get jobs and our traders as well as farmers are expected to gain immensely. The economic impact of all these will be immeasurable. Thika will experience significant growth in terms of economy and investments," said Wamatangi.
The county leader said once Thika acquires city status, the regional government will be allocating Sh1 billion yearly towards development projects which are set to have a huge economic impact.
"We have already started building the Thika stadium besides constructing two major markets; one at Jamhuri and another in Makongeni. Apart from this, there are at least five other smaller markets under construction. All these projects are geared towards providing our people with a conducive operating environment as well as creating more job opportunities for our youths," he stated.
Members of the County Assembly including John Njiru (Hospital ward), Kennedy Mwangi (Township), Jackson Kung'u (Gatuanyaga) and Peter Mburu (Kamenu) welcomed the initiative and told local leaders not to play petty politics with it.
“Thika has for years grappled with a pitiable road network which is the reason for the endless traffic snarl-ups. The poor roads have also seen investors bypass Thika and opt for other towns like Kenol in Murang’a County. This project will surely give Thika a new face and open up the region for investments and more development projects,” Mwangi said.
Wamatangi's administration had been embroiled in a tussle with some members of Parliament from the region over the construction of markets leading to a violent confrontation earlier this year in which a young man was shot dead.