Thiwasco leads major tree-planting drive in Thika

By Lawrence Ongaro

Thika Water and Sewerage Company (Thiwasco) on Thursday, April 3, carried out a tree-planting exercise, planting 5,000 trees at the Kang’oki sewage plant in the Kiganjo area, Kiambu County.

The company’s Managing Director, Engineer Moses Kinya, said the main objective of the tree-planting initiative is to protect the environment, noting that forest cover currently stands at only 7 percent instead of the expected 10 percent.

He said that when the company implements its plan to meter water usage among Thika residents, drought is often experienced, and during such times, water levels in their reservoirs become very low.

He added that the exercise involved various stakeholders, including Kel Chemicals, BAT, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), and residents of Thika.

Many employees from Thiwasco joined Thika residents and other stakeholders in the tree-planting exercise.

“We are encouraging Thika residents to take tree planting seriously in order to preserve a good environment for future generations,” said Engineer Kinya.

Engineer Moses Kinya of Thiwasco Company taking part in a tree-planting exercise in Thika. Photo/Lawrence Ongaro

He said the company has already entered into an agreement with DANIDA, through which they receive 14.6 million cubic metres of water.

He added that the company plans to plant 10,000 trees annually to meet the required target.

Expanding water supply plans

Kinya further said that as Thika town is set to be elevated to city status, Thiwasco is preparing to scale up water distribution to meet the needs of a growing population.

“We know this is a major challenge for us, but we have a responsibility to ensure that all residents of Thika and its surrounding areas have access to clean water,” he said.

Mr Shem Wambua Kivyatu, who is also a director at the company, said they will make every effort to ensure that every household gets clean water.

He noted that in areas such as Gatuanyaga and Ngoliba, several boreholes have been drilled to meet the needs of residents.

He said Thiwasco has already planted 70 percent of the trees, which are currently being maintained by hired personnel.

Mr Shem Wambua Kivyatu, Director of Thiwasco Water Company, addressing the media. Photo/Lawrence Ongaro.

“We have already employed people, especially youth, to tend to the trees by weeding and watering them while maintaining a suitable environment,” said Mr Kivyatu.

The company is also working to ensure that in the future, the area is transformed into a recreational site for the public to enjoy the scenery.

He said the tree-planting initiative emphasizes fruit tree seedlings and other varieties so that they can benefit everyone in the future.

“We believe this area will become an attractive place in the future because the environment will have transformed it,” said Mr Kivyatu.