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Ruiru

Coordinates: 1°08′54″S 36°57′38″E / 1.148326°S 36.960436°E / -1.148326; 36.960436
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Ruiru
Town & Municipality
Zetech University, Ruiru
Zetech University, Ruiru
Ruiru is located in Kenya
Ruiru
Ruiru
Location in Kenya
Coordinates: 1°08′54″S 36°57′38″E / 1.148326°S 36.960436°E / -1.148326; 36.960436
Country Kenya
CountyKiambu County
Area
 • Land292 km2 (113 sq mi)
Elevation
1,565 m (5,135 ft)
Population
 (2019)
 • Total
371,111
Time zoneUTC+3 (EAT)
Area code145
ClimateCwb

Ruiru is a municipality and sub-county in Kiambu County, Kenya. It sits within the greater Nairobi Metropolitan region. According to the 2019 national population census, Ruiru is the 4th largest urban centre in Kenya by population.[1][2] The name Ruiru is of the Kikuyu dialect and possibly relates to the black cotton soil that is found in most parts of Ruiru to the east and south.[3]

Location

Ruiru is located about 20 kilometres (12 mi), by road, northeast of the central business district of Nairobi, the nation's capital city.[4] The subcounty measures 292 km2 (113 sq mi) and is connected to Nairobi by both road and rail.[5][6] The geographical co-ordinates of Ruiru are: 1°10'04.0"S, 36°58'24.0"E (Latitude: −1.167778; Longitude: 36.973333).[7] The municipality sits at an average elevation of 1,565 metres (5,135 ft), above sea level.[8]

History

This area was a sisal and coffee growing district with sisal on either side of the river to the right of the main road to Thika. It is now a housing area. There used to be four main manager houses on the estate on the south side of the river. The area was given over to an African consortium to be developed into smallholdings in the 1970s.[9]

Prior to Kenya's independence, Ruiru was administered under the Nairobi City Council and was referred to as the Western Rural District.[10] After independence, the area was put under the administration of the Kiambu County Council before being elevated to a town council in 1986. In 1997, Ruiru was upgraded to municipality status comprising nine elective wards: Biashara, Gitothua, Gatongora, Kahawa Sukari, Githurai, Kimbo, Jacaranda, Theta, Viwanda, and Murera.[10]

The creation of the Nairobi Metropolitan Region (NMR) by an Executive Order in May 2008 put the town under its wider urban integrated plan.[11]

Neighbourhoods

Landscape in Mwihoko Ward

The expansive Ruiru municipality sprawl comprises many neighbourhoods including Ruiru Town, Tatu City, Kahawa, Githurai 45, Mwihoko, Membley, Kamakis, Varsity Ville, and Northlands City.

Ruiru Area Map with Northlands and Tatu City
Ruiru Constituency Area, 2022

Economy

East African Power & Lighting building in Ruiru on the Nairobi-Thika highway, taken in about 1960

Ruiru is an industrial town with several major factories, including Devki Steel Mills, Super Foam Limited, Spinners & Spinners garment factory, Ruiru Mabati factory and Ruiru Feeds Limited.

The Tatu City Industrial Park is found within Ruiru and is home to tens of factories, including BIDCO, Copia, Dormans, Davis & Shirtliff, Tianlong, Stecol and Dr. Mattress.

The town is served by banks and shopping malls. It has seen a housing boom, with many coffee estates being converted into residential areas, including an upcoming multi-billion Tatu Estate. Information and communication technology businesses are also emerging, including SmartEdge PASHA Center, a digital village where the community can buy computers and find free computer training.[5]

Several banks have opened their branches in Ruiru, particularly in the Kamakis area, including NCBA,[12] Sidian Bank,[13] Diamond Trust Bank,[14] Equity Bank and Co-operative Bank.

Infrastructure projects

Ruiru is home to major government and private infrastructure developments, including Tatu City, a 5,000 acre mixed-use project.[15][16][17] The proposed Northlands City project[18][19] is also found in this area.

Prominent government-led infrastructure projects in Ruiru include the Ruiru Sewer Plant,[20] the dualling of the Nairobi Eastern Bypass Highway, and the Nairobi commuter rail service project.

Population

In 2009, Ruiru's population was 238,858.[21] Ten years later, the 2019 national census found that the population was 490,120, making it the fourth largest urban center in Kenya by population.[1]

The rapid population growth is attributable to several factors: the shortage of affordable residential housing in Nairobi; the infrastructure development, especially Thika Road and Nairobi Eastern Bypass Highway, and the associated commercial and residential development that followed the new highways; and the presence of university campuses in or near Ruiru.[5]

Historical population
YearPop.±%
19691,674—    
19791,718+2.6%
198923,316+1257.2%
199979,741+242.0%
2009238,329+198.9%
2019490,120+105.6%
source:[22]

Education

Two universities have their main campuses in Ruiru, namely Zetech University and Kiriri Women's University of Science and Technology. The Kenyatta University (Main and Ruiru Campuses) are also found within the vicinity of the municipality. The University of Nairobi and other institutions of higher education have campuses in or near Ruiru.[5] Danjose Academy, one of the leading academic Primary Institutions, is found in Ruiru. In July 2022, the President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, broke ground in Ruiru for the Amref International University.[23] The Health Science university will be hosted within the expansive Northlands City land found in the southern wing of the municipality.

Politics

Ruiru was originally part of the greater Juja Constituency until it was hived off and made into an independent electoral area. It is separated from Juja by the Ruiru river as it flows downstream to the confluence with the Nairobi River.

Esther Gathogo was Member of Parliament from 2013 to 2017. Simon Ng'ang'a King'ara won the seat in the August 2017 general election.[24]

References

  1. ^ a b http://housingfinanceafrica.org/app/uploads/VOLUME-II-KPHC-2019.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  2. ^ "Census 2019: Ruiru area 4th most populous urban center in Kenya". YouTube.
  3. ^ "Nairobi geological map with geotechnical sites, distress (D) sites and VES (V) sites" – via ResearchGate.
  4. ^ "Distance between Nairobi, Kenya and Tatu Estate, Kenya". Globefeed. 5 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d James Kahongeh (4 March 2020). "Why Ruiru is Kenya's sixth most populated urban area". Daily Nation. Nairobi. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  6. ^ "Trains Transport A Relief To Ruiru Residents". Nairobi: Kenya News Agency. 7 October 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  7. ^ "Location of Ruiru, Kiambu County, Kenya" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  8. ^ "Elevation of Ruiru, Kenya". Floodmap. 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  9. ^ "Ruiru". WorldPOI. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  10. ^ a b https://kiambu.go.ke/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Ruiru-Municipality-Spatial-plan.pdf [dead link‍]
  11. ^ "Nairobi Metro 2030" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 June 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  12. ^ "Sidian Bank unveils its 43rd branch in Ruiru, Kamakis Eastern Bypass Area". 15 March 2022.
  13. ^ "NCBA opens branch in Ruiru, gets debt B+ rating from Fitch - People Daily". 6 October 2021.
  14. ^ "DTB Kenya opens three new branches". 12 July 2022.
  15. ^ "Gov't, Tatu City Partner To Undertake Projects". Kenya News Agency. 17 November 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  16. ^ "Slow dream to Kenya's technocities, Tatu City taking shape". Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  17. ^ "State agency lauds Tatu City special economic zone for one-stop facility". Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  18. ^ "Northlands City plots sell for Sh40m". 27 September 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  19. ^ "Kenyatta family seeks approval for its dream city outside Nairobi". 22 December 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  20. ^ https://www.sipa.columbia.edu/file/3277/download?token=C-kXwioM [bare URL]
  21. ^ "Kiambu County: Population of Major Urban Centers: Ruiru" (PDF). United States Agency for International Development. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 February 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  22. ^ Ruiru population statistics
  23. ^ "Amref International University Groundbreaking Ceremony". 9 July 2022.
  24. ^ Naomi Wanjiku (22 February 2018). "Why Ruiru MP is popular among women, youths and street urchins". Hivisasa. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
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