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Cheap houses lure many to Umoja Estate


Built by Nairobi City Commission in the 1970s to provide housing for the rising urban population brought about by industrial growth, Umoja has grown to be one of Nairobi’s most sought after estates because of its affordable houses.

Just like other housing projects by the defunct city council, the original occupants had to pay a certain amount of money based on the type of house.

However, with time, the council could not construct the houses due to dwindling finance and thus allowed people to construct their own houses on an arrangement where they would pay annual land rates.

This is what led to the mushrooming of the current typical flats.

Design

Houses within the estate comprise a standard bungalow design and storeyed apartments sitting on various courts, with tarmac access roads and street lighting.

Most of the houses then were owner occupied but this has changed as most people opted to rent them out, while others sold them off to people who demolished them and later built flats.

The average asking rent price is about Sh15,000 per month for stand alone houses with servant’s quarters going for about Sh5,000.

A one bedroomed apartment is around Sh9,000 while a two bedroomed asking price is Sh15,000.

Interestingly, there are almost no offers for land for sale but occasionally, you can find homeowners who have put up houses for sale.

On average, the asking rice ranges up to Sh9 million. Security in Umoja is wanting especially because of its proximity to the crime prone Kayole and Kariobangi.

Buruburu police station and Kayole police post serve the vast estate making it hard to be policed.

The estate is near Uchumi and Tuskys supermarkets in Buruburu, Naivas at the Donholm roundabout, and the Greenspan mall.

Hospitals serving residents include Gertrude’s Hospital at Donholm and Wentworth and Aga Khan Medical Centre in Buruburu.