“It rarely rains here. We don’t know why.”
Welcome to Kenyatta Road, aka K-Road. If you’re looking for a single room, double room, bedsitter, 1 (one), 2 (two), or 3 (three) bedroom house, or you want to put up a business here, this is for you.
Where is Kenyatta Road located?
Kenyatta Road is located along Thika Road in Juja. It’s before you reach Juja City Mall, if you’re coming from Nairobi CBD.
It’s here that you take the road to Gatundu.
Thika Road divides this area into two. On one side, there is the matatu stage to Gatundu and a very quiet residential estate.
It’s on the other side of Thika Road where all the action is. You get to this side and the town suddenly comes to life.
An ever-busy matatu stage, small businesses bursting with customers, and a busy Kenyatta Road full of pedestrians.
This is what to expect when you move to Kenyatta Road.
Distance from Nairobi to Kenyatta Road
The distance from the Commercial bus stop in Nairobi CBD to Kenyatta Road bus stop through Thika Road is 28.6 km.
Where do I board matatu to Kenyatta Road?
The Kenyatta Road matatu stage in Nairobi is located at the Odeon Cinema stage.
Actually, any matatu heading to Juja or Thika will drop you at Kenyatta Road.
Fare from Nairobi CBD to Kenyatta Road
Ksh. 50-70 during off-peak hours
Ksh. 80-100 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:
(100×2) x 5 days = 1,000
1,000 x 4 weeks = 4,000
In addition to rent, you’ll spend approximately Ksh. 4,000 in fares per month if you decide to live in Kenyatta Road.
Traffic jam pain points
You may not experience traffic jams from Nairobi CBD if the matatu or bus you are in sticks to the inner highway lane.
Well, apart from Allsops (GSU HQs) to Garden City Mall in the evening.
If you are heading to the CBD, you will experience slow-moving traffic at Muthaiga/Pangani and the Globe Roundabout.
Other fares
Fare from Kenyatta Road to Gatundu
Ksh. 70
Fare from Kenyatta Road to Murang’a
Ksh. 300
Fare from Kenyatta Road to Mama Ngina University
Ksh. 70
Fare from Kenyatta Road to Icaweri
Ksh. 70
Fare from Kenyatta Road to Kimunyu
Ksh. 50
Fare from Kenyatta Road to Murera
Ksh. 40
Fare from Kenyatta Road to K.U Boma
Ksh. 30
Fare from Kenyatta Road to Kwa Woria
Ksh. 40
Fare from Kenyatta Road to Kimbo
Ksh. 30
Water availability
9 of the 10 people I talked to said they had no water problem.
Only 1 person on the quiet side of K-Road said they had water challenges
They told me they can go a whole week without water. On such days, they buy one 20-liter jerrican at Ksh. 20.
Food prices in Kenyatta Road
What do the residents of Kenyatta Road feel about market food prices here?
6 of the 10 people I talked to said they felt they’re high.
3 said they consider them average.
1 termed them as low.
Is Kenyatta Road safe?
So far in 2024, there have been 0 cases of insecurity on Kenyatta Road reported in the media.
And what about unreported cases?
For the unreported cases, I talked to the residents.
7 of the 10 people I talked to said K-Road is safe.
They, however, singled out the footbridge, underpass, and along the railway as unsafe areas. And the entire area, apart from the gated estates, from 11 p.m.
I was informed that the most prevalent type of theft occurs within shops, with thieves disguising themselves as customers.
This is how they do it. Two guys come to your shop. They distract you with questions pointing at items on the top shelves as one of them is stealing.
Or they hand you a Ksh. 1,000 note as payment, and as you go out to look for change, they steal your mobile phone.
Another form of insecurity you need to be aware of is your safety along Kenyatta Road.
As busy as it is, Kenyatta Road has no footpaths, and no bumps on the first stretch from Thika Road, which is the busiest.
Vehicles, bodabodas, and pedestrians, all compete for space along this narrow road.
Many accidents have occurred here, caused by speeding bodabodas.
Be careful when crossing or walking along this road.
Then there are two unsettling things about Kenyatta Road:
Only one public school
I was shocked to discover there is only one public school here at Kenyatta Road: St. Francis Primary School.
And it’s quite a distance from Thika Road. Precisely, it’s 800m from the bus stage. And then it’s crowded.
The rest are private schools. And they don’t come cheap.
For such a populous area, I found it strange, unfair actually, because not many residents can afford to pay private school fees.
… and no public hospital
Here’s another thing. The nearest public hospital is the Gachororo Health Centre, some 7 kilometers away.
To get here from Kenyatta Road, you take a Ksh. 40 matatu to Highpoint, then a Ksh. 50 bodaboda. That’s Ksh. 180, to and fro.
If you want to attend a bigger public hospital, you either go to Gatundu, Thika, or Ruiru.
The rest are private hospitals.
What residents love about Kenyatta Road
“It’s touching the Thika superhighway so it’s busy.”
“Good security.”
“Affordable houses.”
“It’s peaceful even during political demonstrations.”
“Not congested.”
“Good for raising a family.”
“People are social.”
“Many churches.”
What residents don’t like about Kenyatta Road
“Slow business.”
“Dusty inner roads.”
“Sunny and hot.”
“It rarely rains. It could be raining in the neighboring Juja Town, but not here.”
“Expensive groceries.”
Business ideas
If you’re thinking of setting up a business in Kenyatta Road, think of the following:
•Small shop (duka)
•Hawking
•Green grocery store (kibanda)
•Fresh water refill
•Hotel
•Pub or liquor store
•Cosmetic shop or salon
•Hardware
•Lorry ya kubeba mchanga, mawe.