Is Maternity a good place to live?
Now, how is life in Maternity?
Because the rent you’ll pay is one piece of the puzzle.
Daily fare, the time you spend commuting, food prices, water availability, and security are other factors you should consider.
So what is it like living there? And is it a good fit for you? Let’s find out.
This is what to expect when you relocate to Maternity, Kasarani.
Fare from Nairobi CBD to Maternity
Ksh. 40-60 during off-peak hours
Ksh. 100 during rush hour.
Let’s do the math. If you commute daily to town in the morning and get back in the evening, this is how your budget will look like:
(100×2) x 5 days = 1,000
1,000 x 4 weeks = 4,000
In addition to rent, you’ll spend approximately Ksh. 4,000 in fare per month if you decide to live in Maternity.
Water availability
5 of the 10 people I talked to said they had no water challenge.
The other 5 said water is a challenge for them.
Verdict: There seems to be a water problem here at Maternity.
The buck stops at the owners of the buildings because Nairobi Water Company has laid a pipe here, and it has water. It’s up to individual landlords to pay and connect to their building.
Food prices in Maternity
It was a 50/50 split on market food prices.
5 of the 10 people I talked to said food prices here are average.
The other 5 felt they were high.
I asked why they’re not low when Mwiki market is not far away. I was told merchants have to offset the transport bills from Mwiki market and still make a profit when they sell the goods here at Maternity.
Is Maternity safe?
While in the maternity stage at Kasarani along Mwiki Road, remember to keep your phone secure in your pocket or handbag. Or it will get snatched by bodaboda thieves. Please don’t say I never warned you. Phones get snatched here almost daily.
So far in 2024, there have been 0 cases of insecurity in Maternity reported in the media.
What about unreported cases?
6 out of the 10 people I talked to said Maternity is safe.
4 said there were rising cases of theft of mobile phones from passers-by.
On this day, as I was carrying out my research, a resident was robbed of their mobile phone—in broad daylight! It was around 12.30 pm.
I was told resident jobless youths caused the insecurity.
They targeted residents going to jobs very early in the morning (4.00-5.30 a.m.).
Some residents attributed the surge of insecurity to the lack of a police station in Maternity. The nearest one is in Sunton, the other one is in Kasarani near Thika Road.
Why residents love Maternity
I asked the residents what they love about Maternity and here is what they had to say:
“It’s near Kasarani-Mwiki Road.”
“There are two nearby hospitals (Radiant and Kasarani Maternity & Nursing Home).”
“Easy access to Government services at Kwa Chief (Deputy County Commissioner’s Office).”
“Affordable rent prices.”
“Two nearby public schools (Murema Primary School and Kasarani Primary School).”
Business ideas
If you’re thinking of setting up a business in Maternity, Kasarani, think of the following:
•Grocery store (Kibanda)
•Duka (shop)
•Small hotel
•Pub, wines & spirit.
•Salon.
•Furniture shop.
What residents don’t like about Maternity
I asked the residents what they don’t like about Maternity and here’s what they had to say:
“Water availability challenges.”
“Unlike Maji Mazuri or Lumumba Drive, people here lack Ubuntu. People don’t really love each other. Everyone minds their own business. And there is a lot of gossip.”
“Muddy 1st and 2nd streets when it rains.” (The 3rd street is cabro-paved.)
“Drunkards. They are bad for businesses other than pubs and wines and spirits. They rarely buy anything else apart from alcohol.”
“Slow businesses.”
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