Years ago, the sprawling Witeithie village in Juja, Kiambu County, was a low-key business centre with a few retail shops and small rental houses – until universities expanded to accommodate more students.
People only knew of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) which is kilometres away from the informal settlement.
The busy Thika Superhighway however began giving the village a new face, paving way for establishment of high-rise buildings that are now home to hundreds of students studying in various colleges in Thika and Juja.
Private developers, retail shopkeepers, hotels, clubs and other entrepreneurs are now celebrating a drastic increase in their clientele as students arrive each new semester seeking places they can reside.
According to businesspeople within the village, their stocks are now moving faster and can enjoy increased profits following an increase in the population of the area.
Residents led by Rebecca Njeri, Kelvin Kibugi and Anthony Kamau noted that the establishment of institutions of higher learning has opened up investment channels of small-scale traders who are now enjoying more profits.
“This is how Juja town experienced significant growth because of JKUAT. Witeithie is rapidly growing and attracting hoards of investors. We can attest that our businesses have immensely grown thanks to students who reside here,” Kibugi said.
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“Landlords are the major beneficiaries because the over 5,000 students have sought accommodation in the buildings that were previously unoccupied,” Kibugi added.
His sentiments were echoed by Witeithie Ward MCA Mwibiri Wa Ngugi who noted that the village, which has been lagging behind in matters development, has lately received significant expansion, including establishment of key amenities.
He noted that cleanliness of the populous village has also improved tremendously.
“The students have played a pivotal role in restoring sanity in Witeithie. We have conducted joint initiatives including free medical checkups, drugs awareness campaigns, trainings for local administrators among others, which are aimed at supporting the community,” Mwibiri said.
By our reporter
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