It seems you misunderstood what I mean by environment-friendly, am talking about the carbon footprint per capita been much higher in DC compared to inner cities. We may not notice the effect right now but 100 generations later will pay a very steep price for this, if we dont change

It seems you misunderstood what I mean by environment-friendly, am talking about the carbon footprint per capita been much higher in DC compared to inner cities. We may not notice the effect right now but 100 generations later will pay a very steep price for this, if we dont change

House prices are on the rise after a long period of subdued prices, a new survey by the Kenya Bankers Association(KBA) shows.

According to the KBA - House Price Index , prices rose by 0.22 per cent in quarter four of 2020, from a 0.08 percent contraction in the previous quarter.

“The uptick in the House Price Index signals stabilising market prices, which largely reflect an outcome of the demand and supply dynamics in the market,” the index says.

On the supply side, housing remains largely fixed, with adjustment to meet demand being gradual rather than immediate.

“Unlike in previous quarters where variation in house prices was mainly driven by structural factors, particularly the size of the plinth area, house prices in the fourth quarter of 2020 were largely driven by regional differences,” KBA Chief Executive Officer Habil Olaka said.

He said this is an indication that location is now playing a pivotal role.

Unlike in previous quarters where variation in house prices was mainly driven by structural factors, house prices in the fourth quarter of 2020 were largely driven by regional differences, an indication that location is now playing a pivotal role

KBA Chief Executive Officer Habil Olaka

With depressed credit to the construction and real estate sector, an under-supply of new units has triggered the rise with most sales in the period being on the already completed units from the previous periods.

The rise in prices was also compounded by homeowners’ preferences for newer buildings.

KBA Research and Policy Director, Samuel Tiriongo, indicated that while house prices rose faster with an increase in the area, number of bedrooms, number of floors, they remained relatively lower for older units.

“By house type, our analysis also reveals that prices for apartments rose faster than those of bungalows and townhouses, but were slower than those of maisonettes, reflecting emerging preferences for apartments over other house types due to their relatively lower cost of development per unit,”he said.

On transactions by house type across all the regions, the total units sold in the quarter rose by more than five times to 314 from 57 in quarter three of 2020.

This was mainly reflected in an increase in transactions on apartments and maisonettes that rose nine times and four times, respectively.

Further, house type distribution across the regions was heterogeneous. For instance, apartments accounted for 42.9 percent in Region 2, 26.7 per cent in region 1 and 1.9 percent in Region 3.

Across the regions, housing transactions were predominant in Regions 1 and 2 compared to Region 3, indicating buyers preferences andaffordability characteristics.


Region 1 includes Athi River, Mlolongo, Mavoko,Nakuru, Ngong, Ruaka,Syokimau, Embakasi, Kahawa Wendani, Thika, Mtwapa, Utange,Kitengela, Kiembeni, Nyeri, Likoni,Eldoret, Ruiru, Kilifi,Thika road (Kasarani, Roysambu, Ruaraka),Meru, Bungoma.

Thindigua (Kiambu Road),Kiambu, South B, South C,Kabete, Komarock, Imara Daima,Membley, Buruburu, Rongai,Waiyaki Way (Uthiru, Regen,Kinoo, Kikuyu), Mbagathi road,Ngong Road, Langata fall in region 2.

While region 3 includes Kileleshwa, Kilimani, Lavington,Westlands, Spring Valley,Riverside, Milimani (Kisumu),Milimani (Nakuru), Runda,Karen, Garden Estate, Parklands,Ridgeways, Muthaiga, Loresho,Kitisuru, Adams Arcade, Nyali,Mountain View, Nyari.

The number of transactions on bungalows remained largely unchanged over the period.

Out of all the transactions, apartments accounted for 71 per cent and maisonettes took up 23 per cent, as bungalows reflected much lower activity (4 per cent).

The distribution of transactions by house type across the regions was also uneven.

@NewMoney I wish you all the best on this engagement.

Hahaha man, you have got good jokes... bado we are not on the same page...

Tomato farmers in Loitokok, Kajiado County are set to benefit from a Sh430 million factory.

The Kimana modern tomato factory is funded by the national government under the Ewaso Ng’iro South Development Authority (ENSDA) after years of farmers hue and cry.

ENSDA Managing Director Ngala Oloitiptip said the Loitoktok agricultural belt produced tomatoes worth Sh1.3 billion between 2019 and 2020, becoming the second largest commercial tomato producer in the country after Kirinyaga County.

However, the farmers are said to have lost 40 percent of the total harvest amounting to Sh300 million in every four months due to middle men and market inconsistencies.

"Tomato farmers in this region have been recording colossal losses annually. Upon the completion of the tomato factory ENSDA will be buying tomatoes directly from the farmers at competitive prices," said Mr Ngala.

The factory, he said, will process the tomato “as a value addition measure” to reap more benefit in the regional market.

The ENSDA being one of the regional development authorities under the Ministry of Regional Development will advise farmers on quality of seeds and farm inputs to ensure high quality produce.

Locals will also benefit from job opportunities in the new factory.

"Towards the country’s Vision 2030, the government is encouraging tomato farmers to tap more into the regional market through processing their farm produce. We want to make the tomato agri business lucrative," he added.

The factory is expected to be up running by the end of 2022.

Currently, tomato farmers in the Rombo agricultural belt, Kajiado South Subcounty are faced with high cost of fertiliser and increased fake inputs, making them incur massive losses.

Middlemen are still using ‘turbo’ crate of tomato — comprising three normal crates —which they buy at Sh6,000 each. Farmers term the price low and oppressive.

Farmers say the county government’s tomato packaging regulations are ineffective, leaving farmers at the mercy of brokers.

Devastated farmers say unscrupulous middlemen are selling them ineffective fertilizer decreasing tomato yields.The upper belt of Loitoktok region at the foot of Mt Kilimanjaro has been the county food basket. Farm produce is ferried to Nairobi and Mombasa.

I would not be so quick to term loitoktok as DC just because it is in Kajiado county, to get into loitoktok from Nairobi, you literally have to go part most of Ukambani and then add another 100KMs towards TZ, travelling a total of almost 250 KMs

All is not rosy. Ni kubaya.