Ruiru: What to Expect When You Relocate

By Lenny Kamwara

Ruiru Town (Ruiru Ndani)

Welcome to Ruiru, the industrial town.

The industries located here include:

          •Angels Kenya

          •Spinners and Spinners 

          •Devki Steel Mills

          •Ruiru Mabati

          •BURN Manufacturing

I couldn’t help but notice Ruiru town center resembles Nyeri town. For a moment, I thought I was in Nyeri! I don’t know why they look so similar, but maybe it’s because these two towns are agemates (developed around the same time).

By the way, I saw the “Illuminati house of Ruiru,” where nobody has lived for close to 30 years!

There are stories of how, after renting, voices will talk to you at night, telling you to vacate. Stories of how you will find your belongings outside, or find your utensils cleaned. Or food already cooked. Mmmh, okay…

Only one person lives here, the watchman.

I don’t have the picture of the house, just go Google “Illuminati house of Ruiru”. Or read about it here.

Advertise Ruiru

How far is Ruiru from Nairobi?

The distance from Odeon Cinema in Nairobi to Ruiru is 23.9 km.

Where do I board matatu to Ruiru?

The Ruiru matatu stage in Nairobi is located at Odeon Cinema.

Is Ruiru in Kiambu County?

Yes, Ruiru is in Kiambu county.

The postal code for Ruiru is 00232.

Where is Ruiru Bypass located?

Riuru Bypass is located at the intersection of Thika Road and Eastern Bypass. When coming from Nairobi through Thika Road, it’s just before you get to Ruiru town center (commonly known as Ruiru Ndani).

Fare from Nairobi CBD to Ruiru

Ksh. 50 during off-peak hours

Ksh. 80 during rush hour.

Let’s do the math. If you commute daily to town in the morning and get back in the evening, this is what your budget will look like:

(80×2) x 5 days = 800

800 x 4 weeks = 3,200

In addition to rent, you’ll spend approximately Ksh. 3,200 in fare per month if you decide to live in Ruiru.

Traffic jam pain points

The main traffic jam pain points when heading to Nairobi CBD are Muthaiga area and Globe Roundabout.

Other fares

Fare from Ruiru to KU/Kahawa Wendani

Ksh. 50

Fare from Ruiru to Allsops

Ksh. 80

Fare from Ruiru to Kahawa West

Ksh. 50

Fare from Ruiru to Marurui

Ksh. 70

Fare from Ruiru to Ruaka

Ksh. 90

Fare from Ruiru to Kiambu

Ksh. 60

Fare from Ruiru to Kikuyu

Ksh. 160

Fare from Ruiru to Limuru

Ksh. 160

Fare from Ruiru to Roysambu

Ksh. 70

Fare from Ruiru to Thika

Ksh. 50

Fare from Ruiru to Gatundu

Ksh. 80

Fare from Ruiru to Kibichoi

Ksh. 100

Fare from Ruiru to Juja

Ksh. 50

Fare from Ruiru to Githunguri

Ksh. 80-100

Water availability

7 out of the 10 people I talked to said they had no water challenges.

The other 3 said they buy borehole water at Ksh. 5 or 10 per 20-liter jerrican.

Food prices in Ruiru

8/10 people I talked to said that food prices in Ruiru market are average. 2 said they are low.

Verdict: I visited the market, checked the prices and I can confirm food here is cheap.

Is Ruiru safe?

This year 2023, there have been 0 cases of insecurity in Ruiru reported in the media.

And what about unreported cases?

For the unreported cases, I talked to the residents.

Amazingly, 10 out of the 10 people I talked to said Ruiru town is safe! So safe, I was told, it’s almost 4 years since they had cases of insecurity.

Send this post to a friend who wants to relocate to Ruiru.


About the author

Lenny Kamwara Pic

Lenny is a content producer based in Nairobi, Kenya. A TV Production graduate from the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication, KIMC.


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