Nakuru's old estates that share a name but with contrasting lives

Flamishan Youth Group members feeding their pigs at Lakeview Estate in Nakuru on May 7,2022.[Kipsang Joseph,Standard] The people who live in these two estates, which share the same name and county but are located in different towns, have contrasting lifestyles. It ranges from stiff competition for economic resources to social challenges. One of the estates is located in an affluent area in Naivasha, while the other is in the city slums. They both face two different lakes, which are kilometres apart. They are both found in Nakuru County. One is a freshwater lake while the other is a salty one. Lakeview Estate in Nakuru faces Lake Nakuru - bordering Lake Nakuru National Park, while the other overlooks Lake Naivasha, the home of many fish species. Their proximity to the two lakes exposes them to natural game reserves. And the common denominator is that they are equally located in dusty environments with the potential of having good rains most of the year. Lakeview Estate in Naivasha has a bigger surface area with modern infrastructural development than the one in Nakuru City. Interestingly, land prices in the two estates are miles apart, owing to variations in infrastructural developments. Mansions and apartments occupy much of the space in Naivasha's Lakeview Estate, while a composition of mad and semi-permanent single rooms is synonymous with the estate in Nakuru, despite boasting several well-built self-contained houses in a few selected places in the city estate. However, both have piped water and power lines, but differ in road network, with Naivasha one boasting the best roads. Property expert Elly Ogutu said land variations automatically result in developed sides fetching higher prices compared to those in the slums. "High land prices can only be associated with development, which of course will only be achieved over time from one place to the other," he told Real Estate. Most of the land in Lakeview Estate in the city was classified as freehold, measuring a quarter of an acre and sold at between Sh5 million and Sh6 million, according to Ogutu, who is the chief executive of De-Negotiators Agency. "Owners of this freehold land are the ones who today have subdivided it into plots for commercial reasons," he added. Land prices in Naivasha's Lakeview Estate vary depending on its location and size. A 100 by 50 feet plot could cost Sh650,000, but estimations show a 1.5-acre plot directly on the lake could cost between Sh16.5 million to Sh17.5 million. Additionally, some 100 by 50 feet plots with title deeds could fetch Sh2.5 million, but they are negotiable. Professional physical planner James Michoma said Lakeview Estate in Naivasha is a low-density area, which was initially occupied by European settlers, prominent Asian businessmen, and high-ranking government officials. "This is a low-density area where the first European settlers and prominent Asian businessmen lived, which was later inherited by high-ranking government officials. And the status quo has remained so up-to-date," he said. The Nakuru's Lakeview Estate is one of the slums in the city that has never benefited from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) or the Kenya Urban Support Programme (KUSP) under the World Bank funding. And its residents easily feel alienated compared to those of Kwa-Rhoda and Bondeni Estates, which today enjoy good status owing to the World Bank-Slum-Upgrading programmes. These include piped water, tarmacked roads, improved sewer lines, and availability of flowing power. "If this estate (Lakeview in Nakuru) can as well benefit from KUSP or USAID programmes, then we could soon be classified as a middle-class estate," said Joseph Wambugu, a resident. He appealed to the local leadership to think of pushing for their development agenda. The estate is located in Nakuru Town East constituency.

Nakuru's old estates that share a name but with contrasting lives

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