Limuru Town, located in what used to be the white highlands, as the colonialists called the area, remains largely arable.
Due to this fact, it is not likely to miss livestock on main roads and a lush plantation of kales, sukumawiki, even in the driest of months.
The animals literally run the towns which is evident in the main town, Limuru, and other shopping centres that include Rironi, Kwambira, Ngecha and Ndeiya.
The locals clearly, are in an animal world, and there’s nothing you can do about it as freely mingling with the animals is pretty much the norm.
A driver patiently waits as a donkey-drawn cart moves along ahead of his car.
There are also two donkeys grazing along the road, on green grass sprouting close to Equity Bank, as another shelters from the hot sun under a tree.
There are also some goats and sheep on the road. They seem to be going neither here nor there as they dash from one side of the road to the other despite the oncoming traffic. They seem to know how to obey traffic rules on crossing the roads…
Macharia Wainaina, a businessman and resident of Limuru says, “Limuru is an agricultural town where people are at home with the animals whether away or at home.”
Wainaina said even visiting banking halls, one meets people dressed in gumboots with animal dung, showing their daily activities involve animals.
Jane Wanjiru, another resident, said she has three dairy cows and five goats at home which aid in fending for the family.
She added that visiting the town and finding cows, goats and donkeys roaming around is a normal occurrence.
“I think some homes close to the towns and shopping centres are the ones who release their animals to graze here. We do not mind their presence as we know they are a source of livelihood for the owners,” said Wanjiru.
And so next time you are in Limuru and you do not find the animals, it could have become a ghost town.