Scramble for Nyali

One of the most affluent areas in Mombasa is going through a revolutionary phase and questions abound on whether it is ready for highrise apartments. Willis Oketch investigatesIt is a relatively affluent area of Mombasa with numerous luxurious resorts, a golf club, restaurants, businesses and wealthy residential areas. It is a place where any foreigner interested in buying property in the coastal city gives priority before casting his eyes elsewhere.For many years, this upmarket residential area has remained a hot cake in the property market.However, the scramble for property here is raising eyebrows among its elite residents. Some view the mushrooming of highrise buildings in the area as a threat to their privacy. Many prefer their detached villas or maisonettes with landscaped gardens offering unrestricted view of Nyali and its suburbs and feel that those living in the skyscrapers violate their privacy when they see them swimming in their pools.Many residents also feel that the multi-storey buildings will block views and the refreshing breeze from the sea, which lures many house-seekers to this upmarket area.Lucy Momanyi, a lawyer, confirms that Nyali Estate is indeed an upmarket area loved by the well-to-do in the society. "People are scrambling for this area because it is secure and beautiful," says Lucy.She says owning property in Nyali is no mean achievement seeing that it is a location favoured by some of the country’s top personalities. This in turn has made Nyali a paradise of sorts. Prominent people are ready to spend millions to buy property here given its sheer glory and beauty.And there are many more reasons why people crave Nyali. Patrick Ochwa, another Mombasa lawyer, says people scramble for the estate because there is no space in the Central Business District (CBD) of Mombasa Island. Being the only serene place near the CBD and the port of Mombasa, Nyali offers the best alternative."The town is full and the buildings cannot be pulled down so those who want to own property rush to Nyali," Patrick says.low density areaThe area has a reliable supply of water and is well served with good access roads. Lucy explains how illegal constructions are rarely allowed to thrive in the area, hence Nyali has over time maintained an organised outlook. Lucy recalls how her husband, Robin Momanyi, successfully stopped a neighbour from putting up a storey apartment without following the law. Nyali is designated as a low-density place like Lavington in Nairobi. A house at Nyali EstateAccording to Lucy, before changing the use of the plot, the neighbour needed to advertise in the newspapers. The law governing ownership of plots in Nyali is elaborate and that is why those who have gone to court have managed to stop construction of storey structures near them.According to Lucy, who lives in a five-acre plot, the condition of grant for those owning plots in Nyali is for putting up private dwelling residences. "When one wants to put up a house it is not supposed to cover more than 50 per cent of the land and that is why there are many homes with big compounds in Nyali," she says.Unique locationAs a Nyali resident for the last 20 years, Lucy says the area is prime given its unique location, safety and other amenities such as beautiful beach hotels, shopping areas, entertainment spots and beaches."The estate has a reputation that cannot be matched by any other in town," adds Lucy.It has a reliable piped water supply, electricity and a good road network. Located only nine kilometres from the CBD, Nyali was known by its name way back in 1920s when foreigners started developing interest in the area.In 1931, the colonialists built a 1,300-foot pontoon to link Mombasa Island and the mainland north, which eased access to Nyali. Building of the new Nyali Bridge in 1980 caused the rush for property after the Mombasa Municipal Council designated the area as a low-density residential place.The name Nyali originated from a Mijikenda word nyari meaning wilderness or traditional spirits (jini). The National Museums of Kenya (NMK) spokesman Aalawy Abuzein explains that the locals used to regard Nyali as a sacred place where they would go to appease nyari in caves overlooking the Indian Ocean. highrise apartmentsBut a survey carried by Home &Away reveals that Nyali is undergoing a metamorphosis.Myspace Properties Chief Executive Mwenda Thuranira says the place is dotted with beach hotels and palm trees characteristic of the Coastal town extending to the Bamburi and Shanzu beaches up north. He says investors take advantage of ICT, which has enabled them link up with other business organisations and the Mombasa port to establish offices in Nyali. Some people have turned houses into offices and transact their business online without necessarily going to the CBD or the port. Many clearing and forwarding agent firms, NGOs, insurance companies and regional inter-governmental bodies have opened up offices in the area.Even shipping companies are warming up for offices in Nyali as the scramble continues.Most businessmen do not want to shuttle between the island and mainland because of the perennial traffic jams experienced along Nyali Bridge. Thuranira believes Nyali is emerging as a town within Mombasa city."Private buildings are being turned into offices. Even houses are being rented out as offices," says Thuranira.On the issue of highrise apartments, Thuranira believes those opposed will have to re-think their stance."Time is not on their side because there is no longer need of having a bungalow in Nyali with a big compound," he says.But Patrick opposes the idea saying those putting up highrise buildings are breaking the law. He insists the land where Nyali sits was planned for low-density population by the concerned authorities, which is why the courts have stopped construction of highrise sturctures.sentimental valuePatrick argues that people have sentimental attachment to property in Nyali and are unhappy with what is going on. But Thuranira insists that in developed countries, emphasis is put on maximum utilisation of land. He says the culture of constructing houses with a big compounds must be done away with in this era. Time, he says, has come when the owners of plots in Nyali will put up highrise buildings with pent houses. These pent houses, which would enable them enjoy fresh sea breeze and good views of the ocean.Owners can even construct a swimming pool on top of the building if they feel their privacy is being interfered with. Patrick advises Mombasa Municipal Council fathers to designate areas in Nyali where highrise buildings can be constructed. He says the planners who designated Nyali as a low-density area should not be contradicted."Not everyone wants to turn their plots into commercial premises. Some of us have a lot of attachment to these homes," says Patrick.Coast Provincial Public Works Officer Mwanja Wanjau warns that property cost in Nyali risks falling as the new developments could affect services such as water, sewerage and garbage collection.But Thuranira says the price of property in Nyali is still within the reach of many. He says an acre in Nyali costs Sh20 million, which is low compared to Kileleshwa in Nairobi where a similar piece of land goes for Sh40 million. The same applies to rental homes that go for as little as Sh40,000 per month.

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