Kathwana: Tharaka Nithi's ghost HQ haunts leaders 10 years after devolution
Tharaka Nithi County commissioner's office building in Kathwana town. Only the county commissioner’s office moved to Kathwana in January 2023.
Kathwana has remained a ghost headquarters of Tharaka Nithi County after national government offices have remained in Chuka town for 10 years of devolution.
Chuka/Igambang’ombe Member of Parliament Patrick Munene said the situation would change when all government departmental heads relocate to the town.
The MP said only the county commissioner’s office moved to Kathwana a few days ago following a directive by Interior and Coordination of National Government Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki.
He said the county police commander and other security departmental heads, the county director of education and the rest of the officers are still in Chuka town which is 30 kilometers away from Kathwana, the gazetted headquarters.
“Entrepreneurs cannot establish banks, supermarkets and other big businesses in Kathwana because of lack of enough security while the security officers who are supposed to operate from the county headquarters are in Chuka town,” saidMr Munene.
The MP spoke when Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) launched tarmacking of County Assembly- Chuka prison-Kathwana Secondary School road within Kathwana municipality and KK road in Ndagani near Chuka University.
He said the officers claim that there are no offices and government residential houses at Kathwana but the main reason is the comfort of the developed Chuka town which has enough social amenities.
The lawmaker said it is also embarrassing for the Members of the County Assembly (MCA) to continue debating in semi-permanent iron-sheet-made chambers at Kathwana and having their offices in Chuka town 10 years down the line of devolution.
He challenged the MCAs to ensure work resumes on the modern Sh360 million chambers and offices building which stalled on the foundation stage in 2015 on claims of a flawed tendering process.
