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| BACKGROUND INFORMATION |
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There are two explanations for the name Thika. One has its origin in the Kikuyu word guthika, meaning to bury. During a great drought, the Maasai ventured outside of their normal territories looking for water for their huge herds of cattle. Two rivers pass through Kikuyu land, River Thika and River Chania, both providing sustenance for the agricultural Kikuyu.
With this water in contention, and both tribes desperate for survival, they fought a bloody battle that left few survivors. A mound, near Blue Posts Hotel supposedly is where the dead warriors were buried.
The other explanation comes from the Maasai word sika, meaning rubbing something off an edge.In addition, the area was originally inhabited by the Akamba tribe.
Towards the end of the 19th Century, outsiders began to settle in this outpost, a convenient resting spot between Nairobi and upcountry for British settlers. Europeans and Asians began to stop and remain at Thika, the former setting up farms, and the latter setting up shops. A monument, in the shape of a pillar, was erected by the British in the early 1900s in the central business district of Thika. It commemorates the founding of Thika as a town. The town was given its status by Government Gazette in 1924. Thereafter, it was elevated to a second class municipality when Kenya gained independence in 1963, and the first Mayor was enthroned in 1968.
Some of the attractions that draw visitors to Thika include the majestic Chania Falls, Thika Falls and Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park. The town has historical sites like the Mugumo Gardens – the name for the giant fig tree where the legendary seer “Mugo wa Kibiro” made national prophesies about the colonization of Kenya.
According to legend, the fall of the tree would symbolize the fall of British rule in Kenya. The British Government re-inforced the tree to prevent it from falling – but it split into two parts and fell in two stages in 1963 – in the months of May and November, 1963.
Another historical site is Christina Wangare Gardens, which is in the heart of Thika Town. The garden is named after a famous woman freedom fighter in the struggle for the country’s independence.
Thika is also the gateway to other tourist attractions like Kilimambogo National Park, Fourteen Falls, Yatta Plateau, Ndaka-ini Dam, Mount Kenya and the Great Rift Valley.
The town which is the headquarters of Thika District, is externally serviced by a dual carriage to Nairobi, a highway to Garissa and also a railway line. Internally, the town has a well-maintained road network.
The main economic activities of Thika include agriculture, in particular, horticulture (pineapple, flowers) and coffee. The town, which is “The Birmingham of Kenya” is home to heavy industries like tannery, textile cloth, footwear, food processing, motor vehicle assembly and cigarette manufacture.
Thika also hosts over a hundred light industries and twenty six major factories and has vibrant and fast growing commercial activities like commerce, banking, telecommunication and hospitality.
Thika Town measures about 93 square kilometres. It has a population of 150,000 at night and 350,000 people, during the day (1999 Census). Many of the people are employed in the factories.