A century later, Meru clings to prominence

The town whose colonial history is intertwined with that of the museum building, leads the growth path in eastern Kenya, writes JAMES WANZALA

On May 13, 2011, Meru town marked its 100 years anniversary. On May 13, 1911 when the area where Meru town stands today, was proclaimed a township by the first District Commissioner Edward Butler Horne, nicknamed Kangangi.

The history of Meru town dates back to the colonial administration in the whole of Meru region in 1908. The place where the town stands today was originally known as Mutindwa, which means a place where people go to while away, then a routine for the traditional Meru warriors as they played ajua (kiuthi in the local language) while they prepared for any attack from the Maasai, Turkana and the Dorobos.

History

The history of the town is intertwined with that of the Meru National Museum building. Horne arrived in Meru in 1908 after being posted from Nyeri.

He settled in Chuka shortly before moving to Meru town where he built a district commissioner’s administrative headquarters (the museum) in 1917.

This was the first permanent structure in the town, with its walls built with stones pasted together by mud, while the floor was wooden. Today, this building stands as an icon of Meru’s colonial history.

On May 13, 1911, Horne declared all the area within a radius of one mile from his headquarters a township under the East African Township Ordinance Act of 1903. That is how Meru town was born.

Today, the town, formerly in Eastern Province, is the headquarters of Meru County, and the sixth fastest growing urban centre in the country. It has a population of 240,900 and is located on the northeast slopes of Mount Kenya. Kathita River passes near the town.

The administrative part of the town is on the northern side of Kathita River, while the southern side of the river is the main residential area.

The town is situated about five miles north of the equator, at an altitude of approximately 5,000 feet, in an area of mixed forest and clearings, small towns, villages and rural farms.

It is predominantly populated by the Ameru people, but also hosts other communities with diverse religious and cultural backgrounds, and who live, trade and work in this agricultural and commercial town.

Meru is a coffee growing town, with much of the coffee shade-grown. Meru’s coffee is harvested twice a year. The coffee is grown at high-altitudes in the volcanic soils of the district.

Meru also serves as one of Kenya’s prime tea producing areas, with three tea factories to its north and four to the South. The town is well known for miraa (khat) growing, especially in Maua area. Many farmers prefer miraa since it is lucrative business. There is also dairy farming.

Meru town is linked to Nairobi and other towns by tarmacked roads. You can get there from the south around the east side of Mount Kenya, via Embu, or from northwest around the west and northern side of Mount Kenya, or via Nanyuki and Timau.

The standards of roads within the town have improved after the maintenance of urban roads was transferred to the Kenya Urban Roads Authority, which in turn set up its Upper Eastern regional headquarters in Meru.

The town’s Gakoromone market is probably the second largest and most common open-air market in East Africa, after Kongowea in Mombasa.

Fast growth

The town’s fast growth has been attributed to the entry of colleges, construction of Isiolo Airport, and the recently launched Lamu Port and Lamu Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor (Lapsset) project.

This growth has led to a consistent increase in land prices in areas like Kemu, Kaaga, Njiru, Ruiri, to accommodate the institutions, travellers and staffs.

According to Daniel Riungu, the Managing Director of Darima Properties Ltd, land values have steadily appreciated and getting a plot in the town is difficult.

Hotel attendant Jacky Gatwiri says getting a business premise and a residential house in the town is also not easy and if you are lucky to find one, you pay through your nose. This shortage has forced many people to live on the outskirts of the town.

Riungu says the conducive environment of the town has led to the influx of investors and individuals who buy land to build residential homes and business premises.

‘‘Many people come from as far as Nakuru and Eldoret to buy land to reside and do business since the town has not faced insecurity problems,’’ he told Home and Away.

He adds that land prices in Meru rival those of Nairobi. A 50 by 100 parcel of land goes for between Sh30 million and Sh50 million. Ten years ago, the same size of land was going for Sh4 million to Sh10 million.

A quarter an acre in areas like Kinoru, Milimani, Kaaga, Runogone, Kemu, Gitimbine goes for Sh2.3 million, whereas an eighth goes for between Sh1.2 million and Sh1.5 million. A quarter an acre ten years ago was going for between Sh250,000 and Sh500,000.

Riungu says that land prices have also appreciated in the rural areas, with an acre going for between Sh150,000 and Sh500,000, up from between Sh100,000 and Sh300,000.

In most areas, a two-bedroom rental house goes for between Sh10,000 and Sh15,000 a month, while a one-bedroom house goes for between Sh5,000 and Sh9,000.

The growth of the real estate market in the town has been stirred up by the coming of colleges. The setting up of the Kenya Methodist University (Kemu) and Meru University, for instance, has made land prices go even higher.

So far, about ten universities have pitched tent in Meru. They include African Nazarene, Meru University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Technology and Agriculture, Mount Kenya University, Egerton University, and the University of Nairobi. There are also a number technical colleges.

Many property developers have rushed to the area to buy plots to build hostels for the growing student population and their lecturers, pushing prices up farther.

Land prices rising

For instance, in the area where Kemu is located, a quarter of an acre goes for Sh3.5 million and an eighth goes for Sh1.8 million. Ten years ago, such land would go for barely Sh50,000.

However, just like any other growing town, Meru has had its fair share of challenges. Street children are a menace, whereas transport within the town is still a problem as the town grows. In the evenings, traffic jams are common due to lack of access roads. Town administrators say plans are underway to construct bypasses to ease congestion.

Planning of the town is also a challenge but the town engineer, Peter Too, says an integrated strategic urban development plan, which covers the municipality and its environs, has been finalised.

It will include issues of street lighting and naming, solid waste management, environment, education, street children rehabilitation, public utilities and security.

“The new integrated plan seeks to change the approach of planning because it will be all-inclusive. The only challenge is that there is no space for expansion since the town has 42 square kilometres under forest,’’ said Too.

Going forward

However, town administrator Adan Racho say Meru Governor, Peter Munya, is willing to partner with donors to help construct sewerage and treatment plant since only 15 per cent of the town is connected to sewer line.

The town engineer said plans are also underway to add another dumpsite to the existing one to enhance garbage collection.

Water is not a problem here, according to residents, since Meru Water and Sanitation Company is doing a good job, thanks to nearby rivers like Kathita, which supply the town with water.

A number of retail chains of supermarkets like Nakumatt, Uchumi, Samrat, Budget and Tuskys have also pitched tent in the town.

Meru is also the commercial capital of northern and eastern Kenya and hosts a Central Bank of Kenya’s currency centre.

If you are a visitor in Meru and want accommodation, you do not have to worry as the town is booming with hotels with lodges like Royal Prince, Meru County Hotel, Meru Slopes Hotel, Meru Safari Hotel, Brown Rock and Pig & Whistle.