The rise and rise of Juja town
Traffic jam builds up on Thika Road towards Nairobi CBD on March 16, 2023. Current land prices in Ruiru and Juja are a fair indicator of the growing value of these two business hubs located on the Thika Superhighway.
The Ruiru and Juja areas of Kiambu County are witnessing fast growth. Ruiru sub-county neighbours the capital city Nairobi, thus benefitting from its location.
Nairobi, which lacks enough houses for the people who work in it, depends on the satellite towns to house its growing day-time population. Commuting to and from these cities is easy for people who work in and around Nairobi.
This has, in turn, led to an increase in the value of land in these towns which provide affordable housing compared to the capital city.
Some sections of Ruiru have become real estate magnets, with a host of developers constructing houses there. A prime example is the Kenyatta Road.
Current land prices in Ruiru and Juja are a fair indicator of the growing value of these two business hubs located on the Thika Superhighway.
The Thika Superhighway, which links Nairobi with Thika, in some ways explains why land in the Ruiru-Thika stretch is valued higher. In a big way, easy accessibility to and from the capital city shortens the distance and makes the place highly attractive to investors.
Ideal places to live
People who work in Nairobi find Ruiru and Juja to be ideal places to live. The short time it takes to travel to and from Nairobi encourages them to own homes or rent houses in this region whose growth potential is yet to be fully tapped.
These two business hubs are also close to the industrial town of Thika, again making them suitable residential locations.
For people who want to easily access Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Ruiru and Juja are convenient places to live in.
Thika Superhighway and the Eastern Bypass allow them to access the airport without passing through the Nairobi Central Business District.
This shortens the time it takes to drive to and from the airport.
Yet another road that contributes to making the region highly accessible is the Northern Bypass. This road offers a quick link to Limuru and onwards to Rift Valley and the western part of the country.
But, although excellent infrastructure has played a role in raising the two business hubs’ profiles, other factors also account for their rapid growth in recent years.
This region is known for the high number of quality education institutions it hosts, making it an education hub as well. When it is considered that Thika town, also home to several such institutions, is within touching distance, then residents are spoilt for choice.
Universities such as Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Zetech, Kenyatta, Mount Kenya, Umma, Gretsa and others within the region. Even those not in Juja or Ruiru are within a small radius.
Other institutions such as NIBS Technical College and Mang’u High School and a host of others add to the choices available to residents who seek training at different levels. This is besides kindergartens, primary schools and secondary schools, both public and private, some of them quite famous.
The availability of a variety of social amenities, including hotels and malls, makes the Ruiru-Juja business hub an attractive destination to many. Both people who rent and those who buy or build their own homes choose to live in this area because of the abundance of critical amenities.
