A call has been made to Kiambu County government to modernise the Thika main matatu stage and replace the old rickety 'mabati' structures with modern kiosks.
Speaking on Tuesday at the stage, Thika District Business Association (TDBA) Organising Secretary Alfred Wanyoike said that the old stage was giving Thika a bad name and it was high time it was modernised.
"This stage serves as the gateway to Thika town and surrounding areas. The first impression that a visitor who is coming to Thika town for the first time gets is that Thika is an old, disorganised town just like this stage which is not true. It is important to work on modernising and organising the stage to avoid sending the wrong message," said Wanyoike.
He noted that negative impressions and perceptions on Kiambu's biggest town could keep away potential investors to the disadvantage of locals as well as the county government.
"When investors don't come to invest here because they think badly about Thika, our youths don't get jobs and the county government doesn't get the much-needed revenue. So, we need to correct those things that we might consider small yet very important," he said.