FRM2011 wrote:amorphous wrote:FRM2011 wrote:
1. The question of which is bigger between kitengela and rongai is finally settled. Rongai has ( 172K) and kite (154K). For perspective kakamega town has 107K and Ruiru 450K
But this was always known.
*The
big shocker is the dramatic increase in Kitengela's figures which were a paltry 58k as recently as 2009. That Kitengela is by far the fastest growing urban centre in Kenya is officially confirmed..its population almost tripled!! Na bado.
More interesting shockers for me:
*The level of development of Kajiado North (I assume it includes Kajiado East as the latter is not listed) is quite something. Look at the figures for precast+stone+bricks houses. Then look at the figures for cars owned (rivaling Nairobi). Then there are almost zero mud houses in Kajiado North. Then electricity connection is over 90%. Amazing to say the least.
*I am also encouraged by the 1.5m or so figure of University graduates in Kenya. Add the almost 470k currently enrolled. And countless others without degrees that are part of the huge middle class.
The future is bright for Kenya!!
Thanks for the perspective. I hadn't looked at that yet. Kajiado north is rongai, kiserian and ngong.
Kitengela is an industrial town. The entire cement industry is in kitengela. Ditto about 70% of the steel industry. Throw in EPZ and its clear why it is the fastest growing.
But Rongai. Tuskys are opening a third outlet. Even after Naivas opened one. Quickmart opened a mega one. Some banks have two branches in rongai. Kitengela only has naivas and eastmatt. There is something about the spending power of the rongai crowd.
Someone was explaining on TV how they were tasked by a microfinance institution to do a survey and advise where to open a branch between the two towns. He visited the county offices hoping to get data from the issuance of business permits. The idiots from the county don't keep such data. Nobody knows how many barbershops or restaurants there are.
On Kajiado North thanks for pointing that out. Just looked at the data again and I stand corrected, Kitengela is listed under Isinya sub-county, but the figures for Isinya more or less tally with those for Kajiado North subcounty (85% electricity connection, car ownership about equal to Nairobi's, almost zero mud houses and so on).
You forgot that Kitengela has a Tusky's chap chap near Yukos and the games have just begun. Of course Kajiado is the county to beat after Nairobi when it comes to construction (another recent shocker) as evidenced here:
https://www.businessdail...3710-tfjwtiz/index.html
but that being said let me tell you why in a contest between Rongai and Kitengela long term, I would place all my bets in Kitengela hands down;
1. Rongai was poorly planned:
https://www.sde.co.ke/th...ents-from-ongata-rongai Its population was a little over 100k by 2009 within a cramped area, meaning a net of a little under 80k has moved in with many original owners fleeing the town. We all know about Rongai's traffic woes. Kitengela's traffic is smooth and easy, thanks to how Namanga rd was built. The two slip roads on either side of Kitengela CBD that will be extended eventually all the way to Isinya will also accommodate future traffic increases quite comofortably without any need to dual.
2. Kitengela's hinterland is virtually unlimited. From Kisaju to Olturuto, Isinya to Birika, Noonkopir to Tuala..its open season for settlement. Rongai's..not so much given its location and surrounding cramped suburbs.
3. As you have correctly pointed out, all the heavy hitters (cement companies, industries in Athi River and EPZ, flower farms on Namanga rd, and so on) are smack dab in the larger Kitengela area. No comparison in Rongai which is largely residential and retail with little room for expansion.
4.
Kitengela land prices are cheaper than Rongai's, ceteris paribus, for now. But this is changing fast! Cheaper means more investment will flow to Kitengela's greenfields compared to Rongai's in my view.
5. Kitengela has just got a much better and more organised vibe to it. Rongai is chaotic. All sorts of crazy businesses cramped together in an urban mess. Kitengela has the beautiful Kitengela Mall and the futuristic Signature Mall nearby. To see a decent mall in Rongai you have to drive all the way back to Karen, unfortunately. The middle class population in Kitengela seems also more innovative, globally exposed and up to date from my observations. Perhaps because much of middle class Nairobi has moved there. Kitengela for example has juice bars, posh spas, UK/US import shops, International curriculum schools by the tonne and Universities galore. And diaspora Kenyans have flocked there in droves thanks to companies like Optiven, Mahiga Homes and others that cater to diaspora. There is even a diaspora village near Isinya. Rongai not so much.
6. Kitengela suburbs have some of the best controlled gated communities in Kajiado County. Milimani, New Valley, Chuna, Yukos, Green Valley, Safcom 2, Utumishi, Muigai Prestige and countless other smaller ones. Rongai pales in comparison in my view. Most settled areas in Rongai are chaotic at best.
7. Kitengela is super safe. Rongai insecurity, though better these days, was terrible at one point. Hence the exodus from there by many.
...just to name a few.
Kitengela is definitely the town to beat in Kajiado County well into the future. Those Quickmarts and so on that you speak of will be in Kitengela overnight once they crunch their numbers and do their research as to how fast Kitengela is growing. Kina NCBA, NSSF, AAR, NHIF and many corporates got the memo very fast in the past couple of years..joining very many banks and have opened up serious branches in Kenya's fastest growing town.
Bottom line the race is on and Kitengela is the surest horse to bet on in Kajiado County.