Kitengela: Almost Everything You Need to Know About the Town

Kitengela is best described as a town in Kajiado County. Of course, that description can be misleading, because to most people, Kitengela is more of a Nairobi suburb than ‘a town in Kajiado County.’ In this respect, it is much like Ongata Rongai, Kiserian and Ngong’: which are all officially towns in Kajiado County, but which have, over time, evolved to be thought of as being essentially suburbs of Nairobi.

Getting to Kitengela

The most convenient way to get to Kitengela would be by road. If you are using private means, and you are coming from Nairobi city center, you take Mombasa Road, right up to the Athiriver interchange, where you take Namanga road (by going under the tunnel/tube), and then drive for a few (like 7) minutes to end up in Kitengela town center. If you are using public means, and you are coming from Nairobi town center, you need to need to get a Matatu or a bus from the railways bus terminus. The route number is 110 and it is served by many Nissan Matatus, as well as minibuses from among companies, the Rembo Shuttle, the Eastern Shuttle, the Magic Company, the Nakisa Sacco, Wa Masaa Sacco… among others. The other Namanga road public service vehicles (like those heading to Isinya, Kajiado, Illbisil and Namanga) also pass through Kitengela, though they normally don’t take Kitengela passengers. It used to be also possible to get to Kitengela by train. Unknown to many people is the fact that Kitengela actually has a railway station (at the end of the town, next to where the EPZ compound ends). But that was admittedly an inconvenient way to get to Kitengela, as the railway line is so far away. In any event, the Athiriver-Kitengela railway service seems to have been discontinued…

Major sections/neighborhoods of Kitengela

One of the key sections of Kitengela is the one we can refer to as the Kitengela town section. This has two subsections, which can be viewed as the upper section and the lower section: the border being the main Namanga highway.  It is in the Kitengela town section that you find the likes of Eastmatt supermarket, the Arusha Meat Point,  the Milele center, the Capital Center, banks like the Kenya Commercial Bank Kitengela Branch, Family Bank Kitengela Branch, Diamond Trust Bank Kitengela Branch, Cooperative Bank Kitengela Branch, National Bank Kitengela Branch, PostBank Kitengela Branch and so on. A key landmark is the Kobil petrol station, whose annex houses the popular Pizza place and a Standard Chattered bank branch, an advocate’s office as well as a Bata Shoes franchise.

Another key section of Kitengela is the Noonkopir section. To get to Noonkopir, you can take the road that branches from Namanga Highway near the roadblock police station (this being, apparently, the road that is designated to be the Kitengela-Ongata Rongai bypass), or the one that branches from the Namanga Highway near the plaza that hosts the Kenya Commercial Bank. The Noonkopir section is home to Noonkopir Girls secondary school, Noonkopir primary and many ‘plots’ with low cost housing structures for low income earners in the area.

Next to Noonkopir is the ‘Prison’ neighborhood. This is so named after the Athiriver GK Prison, which is a huge correctional complex in the area. The area behind the prison has been built up, and the people living there say that they live in ‘Prison’ area.

Next to the Prison area is Milimani area, where you can find middle class residences of the Kitengela residents who are somewhat well off.

On the other side of the road, beyond Kitengela town center area, you will find Kiang’ombe estate: mainly made up of low-cost dwellings for the town’s toilers: most of whom work at the EPZ companies.

Then there is the EPZ area itself, which is best described by landmarks like the Sixers court, and other buildings beyond it.

There is yet another section referred to as the New Valley section, which is a mixture of high cost and low cost dwellings, with the high cost dwellings (mainly bungalows and mansions) being predominant.

Further still, there is the section that is simply referred to as ‘Njiani’ which can be best described as the entire place after the Yukos petrol station. That is where you will find the East Africa University and the Kisaju neighborhood that is mainly occupied by toilers in the flower and poultry farms in the outskirts of the town.

Things to do in Kitengela

There is plenty that you can do at Kitengela. A good number of the people who come to the town turn out to be investors, keen on buying the popular Kitengela plots. Others turn out to be folks looking for entertainment: with Kitengela being home to many fine entertainment joints, including the Nomad Club, the Nevada Club, Bonitez, Midasz, the Arusha meat point… and so on. Others still turn out to be folks keen on spending time with their ‘loved ones’ at the ever so discreet Kitengela hotels. Then we have others who turn out be folks looking to do business: either with big-time ventures like Kitengela glass (which is some distance inland) the Kitengela poultry farms, the Kitengela flower firms, or with small-time ventures that are found all around the town. There are also folks who come to Kitengela looking for education: at the likes of the Kitengela International School, Noonkopir Secondary School, Kitengela girls high school, the East Africa University and so on.

Buying plots in Kitengela

 We make a comment on the topic of buying plots in Kitengela out of appreciation for the fact that most of the people who search for this topic are likely to be interested in the same. On this particular subject, it emerges that anyone looking to buy plots in Kitengela has several options, in terms of how they can go about the whole venture. One option is that of making use of the services offered by the town’s realtors. Those include the Josekinyanga agency and the Luprom agency and many other small ones. The two mentioned agencies are quite reputable in the town, and while they may not always come cheap, they are known to offer decent services most of the times. Another option is that of shopping for a plot yourself. This is where you go around scouting for ‘Kitengela plots for sale’ signs, take the number, and call the sellers. Such signs used to be common in Kitengela some time ago, but what we seem to be encountering more frequently nowadays are ‘plot not for sale’ signs. So the whole thing can be tricky. Yet another option is that of scouring through the newspapers. It is almost a guarantee that on any given day, you will find advertisements on Kitengela plots for sale or Kitengela houses for sale. Admittedly, the number of Kitengela plots for sale tends to be greater than the number of Kitengela houses for sale. Just because something is advertised in the papers doesn’t mean that it is straightforward. It makes sense for you to do a lot of due diligence, before committing yourself. But in the final analysis, if what you are looking to buy is property in Kitengela, then chances are that you won’t have a very hard time getting genuine property: though location may be an issue (with most of the prime properties in the Kitengela town center proper having been already snapped up).

Getting medical care in Kitengela

If you are looking for government-subsidized healthcare in Kitengela, you can visit the Kitengela health center or the dispensary at the GK Athiriver prison. If you are looking for private healthcare, there are branches of hospitals like Aga Khan (at the Capital Center), the Nairobi Women’s Hospital and so on. Then there are independent healthcare providers, like Kitengela Medical Services, Doctor Thuo (a well known, long-time medical veteran in the area), Doctor Kiarie (at Batian medical), Dr P Shah (right on Namanga Road, opposite EastMatt – on the other side of the road). There is a dental surgeon inside the compound that houses the local branch of Kenya Commercial Bank. There is another one in the building that houses Family Bank Kitengela which, coincidentally, is next to the Penda Health Services clinic, another popular medical health services provider in Kitengela. There is also the St. Theresa dispensary operated by the Catholic Sisters opposite Saint Monica Catholic Church.

Education in Kitengela

If you are looking for government-subsidized education in Kitengela, you can opt for either the Noonkopir School or the Kitengela Prison primary school (which is open to all). Secondary education is available at institutions like Noonkopir Girls, Kitengela girls high school, Kitengela Boys high school, Vineyard School and so on. There is a university: namely the East Africa University, at the Kisaju neighborhood. Also worth noting is the Technical Development Center, right on Namanga road, next to the Kitengela power station/where the road to the EPZ branches off. There are numerous computer and business schools in the town center.

Security in Kitengela

Kitengela’s main police station is right on Namanga Road, just before you enter the town from Nairobi. Many people refer to it as ‘Roadblock.’ There is also an AP camp, right next to the Kitengela open air market. There are small AP posts, including the one at Milimani, the one at Yukos (?), the one inside the EPZ (although that one is seemingly under the jurisdiction of Athiriver Police)… and so on. Many private properties are guarded by private guards, including those from big-time security firms like BM, Wells Fargo, G4S and Securex, as well local small-time, local firms (which are also quite effective).

Shopping in Kitengela

Almost every ‘plot’ in Kitengela has a shop serving the residents. In spite of this fact, and thanks to a growing middle class, big-time supermarkets like Eastmatt, Acacia and Naivas have been able to effectively penetrate the market. There is also the Kitengela open air market (where one can buy fresh farm produce).

Churches in Kitengela

These include Saint Monica’s Catholic Church (just after the open air market), the Deliverance Church (near New Valley), AIC Kitengela (near Jua Kali), the one ministered by former Boston Marathon Champion (Cosmas Ndeti), the Charismatic Church in Noonkopir, Pastor Mathu’s Church near the town center… and so on.  

 Mosques in Kitengela

There are several mosques in Kitengela. There is one somewhere behind Eastmatt (some distance inwards). There is another one – the Kitengela Jamia Mosque -- on the other side of the town center, just below the slaughter house. Then there is one next to Kitengela Muslim Girls school, and yet another one just behind the Kitengela Prison.