Nairobi comes from the Maa phrase Enkare Narobi which means, “the place of cool waters”. This is an indicator that this city once served as a grazing area for Maasai herders. Its establishment and growth have followed the pattern of other African colonial cities, stemming from European territorial expansion in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Over a century has passed since Nairobi transitioned from herding grounds to a railway depot for the Kenya-Uganda Railway. Its change from a railway town to an administrative and commercial center spurred the demand for housing. Areas north and west of the railway such as Lavington and Muthaiga became European settlements owing to the region’s rich soils. Restrictions confined Africans and Indians to less fertile areas as they moved to Nairobi in search of jobs. These tended to be places east and south of the railway line such as Eastleigh and Mathare. This resulted in a racially segregated organization of Nairobi.
Turbulent years followed European occupation as Nairobi’s African dwellers fought to free themselves from imperial oppression. Kibra residents refused to relinquish their claim to valuable land. Mathare residents offered aid to Mau Mau freedom fighters. These are but a few of the heroic acts that characterised this period.
In the decade leading up to independence, Nairobi experienced a rapid increase in rural-to-urban migration. As more Africans gained access to better-paying jobs, racial zoning in neighbourhoods began to wane.
The #MitaaYetu story series was born of our want to tell the histories of Nairobi’s neighbourhoods. From its origin as Maasai grazing lands, it has become one of the largest African cities, hosting Kenyans from all communities as well as nationals of other countries.
The city’s transformation over the years is one that is most understood and thus appreciated by its residents. It is hard to imagine that present-day Nairobians are one generation removed from a time when it was illegal for Africans to venture into certain parts of the city.
This series has explored the urban belonging that exists within Nairobi’s neighbourhoods today, versus the exclusion there was in the past. Through researching and writing #MitaaYetu stories, we confronted the injustices of the past. By doing so, our perspectives about Nairobi’s neighbourhoods have changed. We gained a better understanding of how some of the inequalities that persist today are rooted in our colonial history.
We believe that the strongest pillars of Nairobi City are the neighbourhoods and communities made up of diligent Kenyans. As the urban landscape continues to evolve, Nairobi’s identity remains rooted in the endurance of the people who call it home and the practices that will lead to a more inclusive future for the capital’s residents.
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