Four years ago, Thogoto Town in Kiambu County consisted of a few shops and simple residential flats.
However, the area has undergone a radical transformation in the past few years, thanks to the construction of the Southern Bypass, which opened up the area and saw investors rushing in to build homes, which are highly regarded for their attractive returns.
Morris Waceke, who has lived in Thogoto all his life, says that as soon as the construction of the bypass began, developers started buying plots in the area and turned them into concrete jungles.
But thanks to the bypass, he adds, transport to the city has greatly improved, since one can access it via Nakuru- Nairobi Highway at Gitaru area, while those working along Mombasa Road can use the bypass.
“The area opened up, leading to a demand for housing, which saw many investors come and build flats, rapidly changing the face of Thogoto,” says Waceke.
Many of the local people, who previously lived in semi-permanent houses, have also sold part of their land and built fancier homes as wells as rental houses.
Charles Kihoro, who runs a real estate company with interests in Nairobi and Kiambu counties, says Thogoto has benefited from the congestion in Kikuyu:
“With easy access to the town, a house here will not remain unoccupied for long. Investors have their antennas up so they rushed here to build houses to reap from the fast growing sector,” he added.
Thanks to the increased population, Thogoto is attracting other services such as supermarkets and restaurants. There are about five new flats mounted at Thogoto every month.