Karen residents are in a tussle with a developer who is planning to put up a hostel facility in the area. The residents, mainly land owners in the area, are up in arms against the project claiming Karen estate is a low density population settlement and putting up the hostels will cause depreciation of their land value.
Spruce Limited, the developer of Qwetu and Kijani Hostels, is preparing to build a facility along Bongani East road near the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) to house around 3,000 students. The company has received backing from the more than seven public and private universities in the area and their students.
The varsities include; CUEA, which sold the land to the company, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) Karen Campus, Cooperative University, Tanganza University College, Multi Media University, Africa International University and Africa Nazarene University.
The Spruce is planning to put up the facility which will have a study hall, sitting area and shopping facilities to provide students with a conducive learning environment while staying a walking distance from their universities. The Karen land owners however raised concerns over the influx of students which they are apprehensive will cause chaos in case of protests and general truancy.
Lack of accommodation in the campuses
Students on their side mounted pressure on the residents to allow the company to put up the living facilities for students following the existing legal frameworks. They argued that the institutions have a student population of more than 30,000 and student leaders said more than 90% of their comrades are forced to reside in distant estates due to lack of accommodation in the campuses which have limited hostels, and unaffordability of houses in the neighborhood.
“Students are suffering. There are no hostels around and most are forced to rent in neighboring slums or in Rongai which is far. This has exposed us to dangers of crime and some have been raped and robbed while walking home. We appeal to the land owners to allow the construction of the hostels and have the purported students’ misconduct dealt with by law enforcers,” said Cooperative University student leader Brian Obiero Obiero.
