Hive of activity at Ongata Rongai

By Ferdinand Mwongela

Bordering the Nairobi National Park to the West is Ongata Rongai. It looks like a hood caught between the deceptively lush green of the park and the hot plains of Kajiado. Rows of parked trucks and piles of sand and stones stand on one side of the road. On the other side are rows of

The open-air market offers fresh supplies to residents.

garages and jua kali businessmen.

Ongata Rongai is a constant hive of activity and is one of the fastest growing hoods in the country. The town is constantly in full swing. Unmistakable is the presence of Maasai men and women proudly dressed in their traditional attire. Cows and goats jostle for space with humans and, at various points, are the kings of the highway. Hit one of them and the fury of the owner will descend on you like a tonne of bricks. As you go further inland, the whiff of cowdung hangs over the air.

A lot of people love Rongai because of its reasonable rental rates. Matatus are in plenty and charge Sh40 to town during peak hours and Sh30 at off-peak. However, traffic jams along this route can be quite a nightmare and at this time, matatus charge up to Sh70.

Several banks are in the area including Co-operative Bank, National Bank, I&M, Kenya Commercial, Standard Chartered and Barclays, indicative of how lucrative this hood is perceived to be. Tuskys supermarket serves Ongata Rongai alongside many other smaller supermarkets.

Affordabley Rates

Residential houses far away from the shopping centre.

Not surprisingly, there is a slaughterhouse in this hood. A couple of goats graze nearby. On days when there is no electricity in the area, the roar of generators can be heard. High cost and quality schools are located in this hood too. The Africa Nazarene University is just three kilometres from the main Rongai-Kiserian road. Others in the vicinity include the Multi-Media University, Kenya College of Communication and Technology, Brookhouse School and Banda School.

Aga Khan University Hospital Clinic and Sinai Mount Hospital are among a host of heath centres that serve the area. A local police divisional headquarters and the Rongai police station are located in the middle of the shopping centre.

With the increasing popularity of this hood, property prices have risen over the years. An eighth of an acre of land sells at between Sh1.2 million to Sh2 million, depending on its location. Land is more expensive around the shopping centre where half an acre will go for up to Sh10 million. This price, however, reduces by half or more as you move further away from the main road.

Rental rates are, however, affordable. A single room goes for between Sh2,000 and Sh3,000 while a double room is let out at Sh4,000 to Sh4,500. A one-bedroom unit rents at between Sh6,500 to Sh9,000 while a two-bedroom unit rents at between Sh10,000 and Sh13,000. A three-bedroom house goes for between Sh15,000 to Sh20,000.

 

 

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