Thika was elevated to municipality status in 1963, coinciding with Kenya’s independence. It is located in Kiambu County, 42 kilometers northeast of Nairobi, near the confluence of the Thika and Chania rivers. With a population of 279,429 (as of the 2019 census), Thika is experiencing rapid growth in line with the greater Nairobi area’s expansion. The town is known for its scenic attractions, including Chania Falls, Fourteen Falls on the Athi River, and Thika Falls, while Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park lies to the southeast. Thika also has a railway station serving both passenger and cargo trains.

Sustainable transport; Thika Municipality has provided and upgraded age and disability-friendly pedestrian walkways, well-marked pedestrian crossing points and well-placed cut curbs for ease of mobility devices movement. We are continually repainting of the crossing points that have faded to ensure high-visibility. To make mobility and enhance safety for older members of informal settlements communities, we have initiated construction of access roads and installation of street lighting in informal settlements e.g., Kiangombe, Umoja & Kiandutu.

Standardization of land and housing tenure system; Considering that Thika has been a key industrial hub of Kenya, many of the land owners in the informal settlements which carry the bigger population of Thika city are older persons having worked in the factories within the lower income bracket to retirement. Thika was also surrounded by coffee estates which have been turned into high end residentials pushing the former farm workers to retire into the informal settlements. Thika local government has in the recent years provided property ownership documents for Umoja & Kiandutu informal settlements making older community members legal owners of land.

Access to health care services; The Kiambu Afya initiative funded by the national government has enhanced medical coverage for residence with particular focus on older persons and persons with disabilities, with both groups receiving priority services. The government has well distributed health facilities in the city with accessibility. Our community Health Promoters each allocated ten households are well trained in triaging and early detection of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). The referral system is age and disability-friendly thus encouraging health seeking behaviour among older persons. Hospitals in Thika are well stocked with the necessary medications for NCDs, making it easy for management of conditions like diabetes, arthritis, heart conditions and others. Further, Thika’s HIV care services are age and disability friendly where ageism and other discriminatory issues are not acceptable.