Kawangware 46: The transformation from dusty paths to an urban hub

For years, Kawangware 46 located in Dagoretti North, Nairobi County, portrayed images of dusty paths, worn-out rooftops, and flows of stinky sewage across congested neighborhoods.

It was a name that, in the minds of many, was synonymous with informal settlements, poverty, and forgotten potential. But that image is now fading so fast.

Once considered a struggling informal settlement, Kawangware 46 is now rising into a modern urban neighborhood, complete with apartment blocks and upgraded infrastructure.

If you had visited 5 years ago, you would have been greeted by corrugated iron houses and mud-walled huts; a clear sign of the poverty that gripped the area.

To outsiders, it was a neighborhood to avoid, but things have taken a sharp turn with development happening at lightning speed.

In what many are calling a construction boom, areas previously populated by low-income residents are being bought up, with apartment buildings rising one after the other.

To put this in perspective, 5 years ago, rent for a simple room would cost between Ksh 4,000 and Ksh.6,000.

But with the rise of high-rise apartments, bedsitters now go for Ksh 8,000 to Ksh.12,000, while a one-bedroom unit with added security can range from Ksh 12,000 to even Ksh.20,000, depending on the apartment and location.

The presence of a large market (Kawangware 46 Market), supermarkets, hotels, salons, entertainment spots, easy access to water, and reliable transport systems that connect residents to the CBD within minutes have attracted many to settle here, breathing new life into the streets.

Young people are making the most of the opportunities presented by this transformation.

Kawangware 46 is part of one of the five wards that make up Dagoretti North Constituency.

According to the 2019 census, it had a population of nearly 350,000, but with the current pace of development, that number could easily double in the coming years.

Commuting from Kawangware 46 to Nairobi’s city center typically costs just Ksh.30 during off-peak hours, rising to around Ksh.70 during rush hour.

This affordability makes it an attractive alternative to more established suburbs.

According to residents who spoke to Citizen Digital, Kawangware 46 might soon become one of Nairobi’s most populated areas, thanks to explosive growth and ongoing infrastructure upgrades, making it one of the city’s most attractive places to live and invest.

“In the past, people feared coming to Kawangware at night. Today, I can drive here till late. Business is good, but I call on the government to fix these roads,” said one driver at Soko Stage.

For long-time residents, the transformation feels like a dream. “It was a place where life was tough.

Families lived in single rooms, sharing pit latrines, and during rainy seasons, you’d wade through knee-deep mud just to get home,” recalls Mzee Otieno, who has lived in Kawangware since the 2000s.

Business owners share in the excitement. “I moved my shop here three years ago because the market was expanding,” says Grace Wanjiru, who runs a retail shop near the main road.

Despite rapid development, residents acknowledge that there is still work to be done, especially in infrastructure and sewage disposal.

They urge the government to prioritize these areas to accommodate the growing population.

The rebirth of Kawangware 46 is not just an urban facelift; it is a story of resilience, growth, and endless possibility.