Rush for land along Mt Kenya highway as investors eye hospitality boom

Nanyuki Hotel is one of the major hotels along the Nanyuki-Nyeri highway that attracts guests heading to the counties of Laikipia, Samburu and Isiolo. [Boniface Gikandi, Standard]

The hospitality industry has continued to grow with dozens of new tourist hotels being built along the Mt Kenya circuit, replacing the facilities that were built decades ago.

The expected dualing of the carriage highway - from Marua, Narumoru, Nanyuki, and Isiolo has seen the price of land skyrocket for areas near the highway.

They are now trading at between Sh8 million and Sh10 million per acre.

The existing hotels display Kenya's cultural beauty to the visitors, among them those heading to the national parks in Isiolo and Samburu, climb Mt Kenya, and drive to the north. 

The land surrounding the Nanyuki airstrip remains the most expensive, owing to the demand by investors.

Kinyuki County Hotel and Aberdare Cottages are among the hotels that are presently attracting guests, the majority waiting for their flights or those arriving.

Kinyuki County Hotel Director Ms Wambui Wachira says the construction started off in 2019, four years after the family acquired the land in 2015.

Wambui says they had maintained more than 50 youths drawn from the community daily, for the construction, among other chores. 

“This is a hotel with the largest room capacity of 124 rooms in Nyeri and Laikipia counties,” said Wambui.

 Simon Guama says the presence of the hotels in the locality has added value to land across the Equator owing to the increased demand.

"The coming up of multi-billion shillings investment around the Nanyuki Airstrip led to the establishment of Gakawa Police Police," said Guama.

Mary Wanjiku, a resident in Gathiuru area, says the hotels forced her into poultry, which she supplies with white meat and eggs.

Wanjiku says the construction started in 2019, and the local youth benefited with opportunities for masons and casual labourers.

“Women were involved in selling food to the builders, and they had an improved living from the supplies,” said Wanjiku.

Other facilities near the equator are Fairmount, Sweet Waters, Sportsman's Arm, Nanyuki Sports Club, The Nickolee Hotel, and tens of others established in the wildlife conservancies.

Stephen Kamamia, a communication expert, says the Mt Kenya Tourism circuit has been active for a decade, earning the country billions of shillings annually.

"The government should do more to promote the local tourism investments that have employed hundreds of the youth," said Kamamia.