The debate over establishing Thika County as Kenya’s 48th devolved unit has gained fresh momentum after a Thika-based stakeholders’ forum formally petitioned the Senate.
The proposal seeks to carve the new county from five major constituencies.
Supporters say the campaign is citizen-led and rooted in the constitutional right to fair governance.
They point to several concerns behind the demand for a split, including severe under-representation, unequal resource allocation, sidelined development, and weak service delivery under the current structure.
The campaign for a new county is closely tied to Kiambu’s political history since devolution began in 2013. The region has had four governors, but a perceived geographical imbalance in leadership has strengthened the current agitation.
William Kabogo was the first Kiambu governor and came from Kiambu East. Ferdinand Waititu, James Nyoro, and the current governor, Dr. Kimani Wamatangi, all come from the Lower side of Kiambu.
Since the last three governors have come from Kiambu’s lower region, local leaders from the East have intensified calls for separation. The movement is led by a coalition of local lawmakers, including Alice Ng’ang’a, Thika MP and Kiambu gubernatorial aspirant; George Koimburi, Juja MP; GG Kagombe, Gatundu South MP; Simon King’ara, Ruiru MP; and Elijah Njoroge, Gatundu North MP.
The petition has met strong opposition from both former and current Kiambu leaders. Former Kiambu Mayor Ngugi Uiru has sharply criticized its proponents, dismissing it as a selfish political move meant to divide Kiambu into East and West for easier access to power rather than improve service delivery.
Uiru also questioned the legality of the proposal, saying counties are not created through petitions but through formal boundary reviews. He added that if petitions were a valid path, every county in the country would be seeking division to create more units.
Meanwhile, incumbent Kiambu Governor Dr. Kimani Wamatangi has strongly defended his administration’s development record. He rejected the current narrative as political posturing, saying development projects have been shared fairly and that no part of Kiambu County has been neglected.
The petition now awaits formal consideration by the Senate to determine whether it will proceed.