Makongeni Estate in Kamenu Ward, Thika sub county is quickly modernising with flats sprouting everywhere replacing the old, rusty-roofed houses that have become synonymous with the estate.
However, not all are pleased with this change of status quo of an estate known to be a 'mtaa of mahustlers and masufferers'.
"Hakuna kitu ya kucelebrate hapa kwa sababu kila kitu sasa itakuwa juu kama vile rent and everything else in general. Mambo ikikuwa hivyo sijui sisi masufferers tutaenda wapi," said Jairus Njue when we met him at Phase Six on Wednesday. (There is nothing to celebrate here because everything will now go up including rent. I don't know what will be next for us poor people).
Most of the houses in Makongeni are rented at an average of Sh2,000 per month with water and electricity bills included which makes it a perfect place for low income earners.
In fact Makongeni is sometimes referred to as 'the bedroom of Thika Town' as many people who work at the town find their way here every evening. Peter Omanga, who is an industrial worker at Kel Chemicals also says that he would want things to remain as they are.
"Most of us factory workers prefer Makongeni because life is bearable. With the little we earn we are able to cope with life here because things are generally cheap. The upcoming flats are going at an average of Sh3,500. That is too much," he said.
However, as nature would have it, whatever would work for the sheep would definitely not work for the hyena, landlords in the area want to change things as first as they can.
"These old houses you see here make very little returns for us. For example, I have not increased rent in my two plots here since 2007 because the tenants would definitely relocate even if I raised it by Sh100. We now want to build houses that benefit us and ones that tenants will enjoy living in too," Michael King'uri, a plot owner said.