By Prudence Minayo
Kenya is the largest in economy in East Africa. The friendly nature of Kenyans and peace enjoyed in the country has seen developers invest in real estate and other sectors of the economy. Most of the city’s rich live in plush neighbourhoods where the price of land alone is more than what some would ever earn in a lifetime. Crime is very low as the homeowners employ high tech security and private guards to ward off criminals.
The places where the rich live in Nairobi include:
Muthaiga
This is one of the most affluent and expensive neighbourhood in the country. This area is the home of some notable and powerful figures in the country like Jimmy Wanjigi, Ngina Kenyatta ( the country’s founding First Lady) and former president of the republic of Kenya Mwai Kibaki. An acre of land in the area is said to range between kes150 to 200 million.
The place has one of the country’s oldest country club known as Muthaiga golf club. This club opened its doors in 1914 and is still running to date and is proudly called the home of golf by its elite members.
Kitisuru
This is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the city. It is home to the largest mall in the country called Two Rivers Mall. Media reports indicate the place is home to a lot of new generation wealth.
New Kitisuru estate is home to some of the country’s most luxurious modern houses. The area also has amazing apartments for sale and rentals.
Karen
Karen is associated with old money. Only the rich can afford to get a place in this area. Until the late 1980s, it was an exclusive all whites neighbourhood who built their homes in Karen during the colonial period.
Karen is characterised by huge trees and surrounded by lush green vegetation. Most of the homes have perimeter walls and well-manicured lawns. It is also the home to a lot of upscale restaurants and hotels.
Runda
The name Runda is an abbreviation of Reserved United Nations Development Area. The leafy suburb is home to Kenya’s rich powerful politicians and businessmen.
The area is surrounded by beautiful homes that speak a tale of elegance and money. Developers are not allowed to build apartments like many other places and that is why it is surrounded by homes only. Renting a home in the area may not be less than kes400,000.
Lavington
Located North West of the Nairobi Central Business District, Lavington is dotted with glamorous villas and expensive mansions. It is also close to some of the country’s international schools and home to the country’s wealthiest.
The area is also next to malls and other amenities that attract the rich.
Gigiri
Gigiri is among the country’s richest neighbourhoods and is popular with most expatriates. It is the home to a number of embassies and the major UN offices in the place made Nairobi the only African country to host several United Nations bodies.
Gigiri hosts:
- The Village market
- The International Civil Aviation Organization’s base for East and Southern Africa
- United Nations office
- The United States Embassy.
Kilimani
The Kilimani area has become a very popular address for the young and rich of Kenya. This area boasts of international schools, shopping malls and financial institutions.
The area used to be a preserve of the whites during the colonial times. Today, it’s home to all races.
Loresho
The area is located close to Westlands and contains a number of high-end residential properties. The security around the area is top notch and the cost of living very high. It is a wonderful place to raise a family and consists a lot of magnificent standalone houses.
Kileleshwa
This area popular among the middle class society of Kenya. It contains a mix of mansions and normal three-storey houses which are beautifully designed. It also contains high-end apartments which were not present in the past but have now been established. Next
