My Hood: What attracts people to Bangladesh estate in Nakuru city?
A section of Bangladesh centre in Nakuru city.
Whenever one lists estates with unique names in Nakuru, you can’t go without naming Bangladesh estate.
There are quite a few theories to how the estate got its name.
The most common being that the estate is named Bangladesh due to the large number of people from Bangladesh that inhabited the area once upon a time.
Currently, Bangladesh, commonly referred to as Banga, is highly inhabited by students and the youth.
Students choose the estate due to its close proximity to a number of Nakuru's universities while young adults choose it for its close proximity to Nakurus CBD, affordability and cheap spacious housing.
Some of the shops in Bangladesh estate taken on January 23, 2024.
Bedsitters here range from Sh 5,000 to Sh 6,500 while spacious one bedrooms rent for roughly Sh 10,000.
Although young adults and students are the majority of Banga’s population, there's also a population of married couples with children living within the estate.
The most spacious settings for families are the three bedroom houses that rent between Sh 25,000 and Sh 30,000.
Speaking on his experience of living in Bangladesh estate, Erick Biko shares, "The houses here are really cheap and affordable. Also, just like most of the places in Nakuru, commodities here are also very cheap. It’s not a bad place to start life from."
As he notes the good things he loves about Bangladesh, he notes the major things he doesn't love about the rea are the insecurity and lack of water.
Seconding his observations, university student Ashley Auma shares, "At the flat where I live, we constantly have to make private arrangements for water. "
"Also, there are no street lights along the road. So many classmates have lost their phones and valuables along Banga’s dark stretch," she additionally notes.
A stretch of tarmacked roads in Bangladesh estate on January 23, 2024.
Apart from the lack of street lights and water shortage, Florence Moraa shares her biggest concern is the absence of the MCA kwa ground.
"Bangladesh shares an MCA with London. Huko London, the MCA's presence can be felt but for us, it's a very different tale. The last time we saw the MCA was pre elections akitafuta kura. The MCA should come to the ground and hear what we have to say," the 65-year-old businesswoman closes off.