Teachers’ estate sits some few kilometres from the busy Nakuru City in Menengai Ward of Nakuru East sub county.

History has it that the estate was established by an individual who goes by the name Wamagata who had a vast parcel of land in the area that borders Kiratina, Makao, Mawanga, Whitehouse and Hyrax.

Upon his death around 1988, the sons began selling the plots to individual members of the Teachers Sacco.

Video: How Teachers' estate was born

Read: My Hood: How Phase two estate has evolved since the 1970s

The society had many members who bought the plots majority of them buying quarter an acre, putting up residentials in the area that would later be christened ‘Teachers’ Estate’.

A little village of squatters called ‘Wamagata Village’ is what welcomes you to Teachers estate off Nakuru-Nyahururu Highway.

This village that has 200 families on 25 plots of 50 by 100 later in 2014 registered Wamagata Squatters Housing Cooperative.

Mr. Anthony Maina was born and raised in Teachers’ Estate and in an interview with Mtaa Wangu on November 21, 2023, he reveals that although the estate had majority of teachers in the past, things have changed.

Anthony Maina during an interview with Mtaa Wangu on November 21, 2023.

Photo credit: BRET SANYA/MTAA WANGU

According to him, the initial teachers used to buy quarter an acre plots at a lower price ranging from Sh 8,000 around 1989, adding that only a few people who had knowledge on the same benefitted.

He is however quick to note that currently a plot at teachers’ estate goes for between Sh 1 million to Sh 2.5 Million.

For those with hopes to rent houses in the estate, two-bedroom houses range between Sh 10,000 to Sh 15,000.

One of the feeder roads that have not been tarmacked in Teachers' estate.

Photo credit: BRET SANYA/MTAA WANGU

But this is an estate that has very few single or one-bedroom houses as the majority of those who reside here are working class and have families.

Maina adds that most landlords here prefer the one-bedroom and 2-bedroom to keep off young people who used to come stay here but then refuse to pay rent with some even shifting at night without a notice.

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“Here mostly we have the one bedroom and two bedroom houses where the majority of tenants are working class and people who have families,” he says.

When it comes to health services, locals here have a reason to smile as there are facilities such as Menengai Dispensary and another one within Kenya Industrial Training Institute(KITI).

The estate also prides itself in having schools within such as Teachers’ Primary School which serves as a landmark. It also borders Natewa and St. Johns School.

One of the public schools in Teachers' estate.

Photo credit: BRET SANYA/MTAA WANGU

But ironically, the estate has continued to battle issues of insecurity despite having a Police Post within.

Locals say the police should up their game when it comes to addressing the challenges of insecurity among them mugging and knife stabbing incidents.

“There is a need for the police officers at Teachers’ Police Post to work extra hard in combating criminal activities,” says Maina.

Besides insecurity, the estate has also continued to struggle with issues of dust especially during the sunny seasons, as majority of the feeder roads are not carpeted.

Pauline Wanjiku- a resident in an interview with Mtaa Wangu says issues of poor roads and drainage have been raised on many occasions even through public participation meetings but no action is being taken.

Pauline Wanjiku during an interview with Mtaa Wangu on November 21, 2023.

Photo credit: BRET SANYA/MTAA WANGU

She says the elected leaders, area MCA Wilson Mwangi and Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria should work towards addressing the issue of poor infrastructure.

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“The issue of poor roads in this area is not new and even our leaders have been told on many occasions but it remains only a dream,” says Wanjiku.

pmambili@gmail.com

My Hood: Land that cost Sh 8,000 now Sh 2.5 million, three decades later

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Pristone Mambili