The flame trees of Thika : Who was Elspeth Huxley

In one of the first posts done about Thika, we traced the root of the name Thika to the wars that the Maasai and Kikuyu had centuries ago. When the early settlers came to Kenya in the 1880s and the early 1900s, they fell in love with the central highlands and its magnificent mountains and rivers. They "acquired"  acres of land where they established either ranches or coffee plantations. Thika was home to numerous settlers who in some areas like Mangu and Gatanga still own acres of land filled with coffee plantations.
Thika has always been a darling to European settlers since in their passage to either Mt Kenya or the Aberdares, they would always pass through the then rugged town of Thika. That explains the emergence of the Blue Post Hotel along the Thika-Nyeri Highway which was the ideal place for the travelers to rest as they watched the cascading waters of the Thika and Chania Rivers falls.
Of all the white settlers that ever graced Thika none is more famous than one Elspeth Joscelin Huxley. Elspeth was a British woman whose family settled in Thika around 1912 with an aim of delving into large scale coffee farming.

At that time, Elspeth was 5 years old. The family, together with some other few settler families established farms in Thika while at the same time trying to adapt to the life in the wilderness with constant attacks from lions and elephants.  Well,the story goes on and on until when the World War broke and the lovely status quo of safari adventure and romance was broken. Huxley went to Britain for studies and later came back to Africa to be employed by the Kenyan colonial government. Later in life, she became a celebrated writer,administrator,journalist,,environmentalist and farmer.

You may be wondering where am heading with such a tale, but later in Life, Elspeth Huxley would share her experiences about Thika with the rest of the world through her best selling novel: The Flame Trees of Thika. The book would later become serialized into a television series. The Flame Trees of Thika was her most famous book of the more than 30 pieces that she penned.

It shares her life as young girl growing alongside the Maasai and the Kikuyu while experiencing the wilderness, terror and the romance that it brought with it. Many events that took place around the time were never or  fully documented thus Huxley's life as documented from her words, builds a visual image of the unique Thika wilderness then. In the 1980s the book was serialized into a television series ,The flames Trees of Thika with seven,50 minute episodes. It starred actress Hayley Mills and was filmed in Central province and Thika in particular. The series was nominated for various awards including the British Academy Television Awards.

 

The episodes start with the promised land, when Elspeth and her parents settled in Thika to the drums of war when the lords of the World War come knocking. Elspeth was a great friend of Joy Adamson the famous writer who penned Born free. The book about the experiences of rearing Elsa the famous lion is one of the most popular African wildlife and classical novel . The book was made into an Academy Award winning movie under the same name. Matter of fact, on Joy Adamson autobiography, Elspeth Huxley did the foreword, highlighting the close friendship between the two environmentalists and writers. Elspeth died aged 89 in January 1997 in England.
Twenty years after, we have the Thika Flame Tree apartments along Garissa Road. The gated community which is 5 min drive from Thika Town consists of 3 bedroom affordable units.


This makes me wonder, does every story about Thika end with real estate development.
In brief,that is the story behind the famous Flame Trees of Thika....the novel,writer,series..and the apartments.

Images courtesy of Google

14 seater matatus Vs Kenya Mpya Buses : Thika Matatus on Strike

All public service matatus plying the Thika Nairobi Route 237 have downed their tools. The 14 seater matatus mostly from the Chania Sacco, Chania Travellers, Time Track and Manchester Sacco (Nganya) are currently having a peaceful demonstration near the Municipal Council Offices and the Police Station. The matatus have also parked their vehicles at all major roundabouts in Thika making entry into and from Thika impossible. Thika Live was in town and we have compiled the following photos.

Well that is the leader of the Manchester Sacco who is leading talks with the Police and the Municipal Council. It is believed that the strike has arisen due to the Municipal Council decison to allow the Kenya Mpya 50 seater matatus to operate in Thika. The matatu Saccos believe that by charging 80 bob and on a rainy day 100 bob to Nairobi, the Kenya Mpya buses are diluting the marketing and pushing the matatus out of business. It is also alleged that the Kenya Mpya buses presence in Thika is due to  unfair collaboration between the some Councillors and the Bus company. In a free market, is this action by Kenya Mpya viable or is it cut just throat competition taking place. Well dialogue is in progress and i believe an amicable solution will be found. For our readers we would like your views on whether the Saccos are justified to go on strike or is it just competition fears.
Kindly comment on our blog or Facebook page. Your response is welcomed.

There was an unintentional tampering on the date settings of the Thika Live camera..Thats explains why the photos seem dated 12/07/2008..But the time remains ok. Sorry for the inconveniences

Anyone thinking business: Why you should choose Thika

A story is told,i was amazed it was on TV the other day..There was this brother who had a small room with one computer. He deeply wondered how he could make good use of this computer . Obviously, he could have literary sold it and got instant cash. But he didnt..He wanted a project that would withstand the test of time and even though it wouldn't instantly convert to liquid cash..he could rely on the project in future. Talk of an entrepreneur. The story goes that he took a few students, divided up his day and started a computer college with one computer and in a single room. Currently we are talking of Jodan College of Technology in the heartland of the Thika Town with three campuses and more than 1000 students. I watched the story on Citizen TV in the movers and shakers segment and admired this great man.

Yesterday we looked at the analysis done by the World Bank in conjuction with the Office of the Prime Minister and noted that Thika is highly ranked when it comes to opening a business.
Those are the statistics and they are always derived from the reality on the ground. We will subsequently have a deeper look at the factors that make Thika ideal for business investment. For any entrepreneur or business person intending to open a new business or expanding to the Central Kenya region especially Thika town, this information will be valuable. We are breaking the ground for you making your feasibility study of the market more informative.

I remember when i was in Business School there was this professor who used to say "The best decision is the right decision. The next best decision is the wrong decision. The worst decision is no decision". I later came to know those were the words of Scott McNealy the famous Business entrepreneur who founded Suns Micrsystems but i still remember the old professor. But the questions remains, how do you make your decision to make sure its the best and the right one on  investing in Thika.
Proximity to customers
Thika is centrally located meaning that its the feeder town to more than 7 regions that form the basket of the central region, Kiambu County and Nairobi..Wait a minute before you raise an objection. The water consumed by majority of our friends in Nairobi originates in Thika. Ngethu Dam in Gatundu North and Ndakaini Dam in Gatanga are the main sources of water fed to the Nairobi Water & Sewerage Company. Thika Town as a commercial hub feeds Gatundu North (Kamwangi Region), Gatundu South, Juja, Ruiru,Gatanga, Kandara,Kakuzi and the Delmonte Region, Kilimambogo, Gatuanyaga and the Thika Road outskirts. I was amazed to see the other day, a Sacco had set shop in Thika Town and to my utter disbelief..Its for the Muranga County Region but they opened it in Thika which is Kiambu County. This means that majority of the business people in the Muranga regions are more at home in Thika..Well...thats a paradox. All the above regions rely on Thika as their commercial point. Its wort noting that all this regions produce different products which further diversifies the market creating more opportunities. When all these groups converge in Thika...is this not the market you wanted.

Infrastructure
The Thika Nairobi SuperHighway passes through our good town. Feeder roads to the Mt Kenya regions that feed the town are perfect for business. Those dealing with agricultural products can attest to this. This transport network boosts travel to all areas surrounding, Nairobi, Mwingi, Nakuru, Nyeri, Meru and nowadays Mombasa. A new crop of enterpreneurs are taking advantage of this by making daily trips to Mombasa to buy and sell stuff. The Chania and Channia Saccos have introduced daily trips to the Coast Region without going to Nairobi..900 bob only and you are in the Coastal Region

Government Restrictions
Many are the times that one will spot a nice investment opportunity in a town, have enough capital and the passion that completes the equation. However on the way you will find numerous hurdles in  form of licenses, bribe demanding civil servants, endless queues and bureaucracy....mpaka unaboeka. They frustrate your cause especially when you do not have a god father you just abandon the project. Well yesterday we noted that Thika has been given kudos for being the easiest place  to operate a business. Licences,permits,the environment...the list is endless
Availability of Housing, Communication and basic facilities
More than 15 Commercial Banks operate in Thika, more than 18 Insurance Companies, Tuskys and The Mater Hospital is in Thika,  and Nakumatt is on the way. What is my point..Thika has enough housing facilities to accommodate all these businesses and the ones intending to expand. Office suites, business spaces and stalls range from 5k to 50 k depending on the location, space and type of business. Clairbourn Towers, Alisa Plaza, Victory Plaza, New Kigio, Nellion Plaza, Equity Plaza, Thika Arcade and the upcoming Zuri Center...

On the residential side, the are numerous if not hundreds of flats around town and the outskirts depending one one's income scale. Thika is the only place you will get a bed sitter with hot water at 4500/= and a spacoius one bedroom at 7500/=. I bet my friends in Nairobi who pay 18k for a 1 bedroom in South B, Ruaka, Doni and Kasarani are turning green with envy..

Ati shida ya maji..Not in Thika. I frequent many towns and i cant help seeing people queing with yellow containers for water. The Municipal Council of Thika is up on that sector, i even forgot where i threw my containers that i used to queue with when i lived in Nairobi Eastlands. Na stima,well Kenya Power has a regional Office here and electicity is pap..
These are just a few of the factors that boost business in Thika and this blog with time will highlight the list conclusively. I wont promise anyone that if you invest in Thika you will get immediate returns but as many business people understand, business is like a marathon..and if so, Thika is the best track to run in..
Thika Live will occasionally bring the success stories of people who have invested in Thika and are not turing back. We will also keep you updated on the happennings on the ground to make sure you make your business choices with the right information..