This archive report was first published on 19 December 2019.
December 19, 2019, marked a significant turning point in the lives of residents in rural areas surrounding Nairobi. The expansion of the city has brought about rapid urbanisation, transforming the once quiet villages into bustling hubs of activity.
For Zachary Njehu, a lifelong resident of Kabete near Kikuyu, the changes have been nothing short of dramatic. 'We used to send our children to the shops by themselves. Now we must hold their hands to navigate the busy highways,' he says.
The influx of educational facilities, including the University of Nairobi's Kikuyu and Kabete Campuses, has further altered the landscape. Landowners have either sold their land to developers or constructed hostels themselves, leading to a social impact on the rural folk.
'It is not unusual to see two young people, a boy and a girl, holding hands as they walk. This was shocking to our grandmothers but I think they are getting used to it,' Njehu says.
Despite the social revolution, the 'coming' of the city to the rural areas has had good tidings for property owners. In the 1990s, a plot measuring 100 by 100 feet around Kikuyu and Kabete went for Sh200,000. Today, a similar piece of land sells between Sh15 and Sh20 million.
Mark Makori, a local realtor, notes that the locals have realised that they have been sitting on a goldmine. Their pieces of land have suddenly appreciated as demand to house the city population rises.
However, Njehu warns that some who planned badly have suffered more after disposing the land. 'Some found themselves handling large sums of cash than they had ever come across in their entire lives. Perhaps out of excitement, they squandered the cash with their condition getting worse than it was prior to the sale,' he says.
As the good old days ebb away, people like Njehu can only hope that the rising tide of urbanisation will not take away his cherished lifestyle.
