By Beatrice Obwocha
Two major trading centres in Nakuru owe their existence to Egerton University, which was started in 1939 as an agricultural college.
Over the years as the institution grew and it was upgraded to a university, so did demand for goods and services.
This gave rise to Njokerio trading centre and Egerton Gate centre, which host shops, groceries, cyber cafes, tailors and mechanics, hotels and rental houses.
Mr Daniel Maina, a businessman, says Egerton Gate came into being in the 1980s after lecturers and students started seeking accommodation outside the Njoro campus and cooking in the hostels.
Ms Jane Njeri, who opened a shop at the centre in1996, says a majority of her customers are students and university staff.
All the businessmen interviewed say they rely heavily on the university community, a fact confirmed by the downturn in business when the university is in recess.
Mr Polycarp Muchiri, 70, was one of the first businessmen to move to Njokerio after he bought land there in 1972 to build shops and rental houses. Then the area was under wheat and he bought his land from a white settler. Others soon followed.
Today Muchiri operates a shop, a soft drink depot and owns several buildings. "Here you will find not only legitimate businesses but also illicit brew dens. Without the university this centre cannot exist," he says.
Muchiri says apart from bringing business, students have at times caused losses.