The Famous Eastleigh (Isilii)

 

Eastleigh is a neighbourhood in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital. It is located east of the central business district. For some, the spelling of the name is Isilii, an alteration sourced from the local pronunciation of the word.

At the mention of the word Eastleigh, many are reminded of the businesses that are run in this neighbourhood. It is known for its business prowess, as well as "its poor infrastructure.

Eastleigh, formally called Nairobi East Township was founded in 1921 and was mostly populated by Somalis who had moved from the Ngara Plains.

While the colonial government originally tried to segregate citizens by race and ethnicity, Eastleigh was pointed to Asians and elite Africans who worked as clerks, builders or shoemakers. Eastleigh was originally a large Kenyan Asian enclave until independence in 1963. In recent years, the suburb has been dominated and almost exclusively inhabited by Somali immigrants. To date, Eastleigh is almost entirely inhabited by Somalis, except for a few indigenous residents.

 

Lifestyle

Nairobi’s Eastleigh, dubbed “Little Mogadishu” for its large Somali population, doesn’t make many “must-visit” lists. But perhaps it should. With its thriving marketplaces, miraa kiosks, and frenetic gold souk, it is the side of Nairobi that you rarely see.

Miraa: In mid-morning, the miraa and mbere traders are out, spreading out their produce, and fanning it to speed the drying process. A few customers idly wait. By mid-afternoon, this area will be crowded with men – it’s usually men – chewing. Residents here, not all of them Somali, gravitate towards mbere, which comes from Embu because it is cheaper and more potent.  

Thriving Businesses

The suburb's commercial sector is likewise dominated by Somalis, with most if not all businesses owned by the Somali community. Somalis have invested heavily in the enclave. Businesses in the suburb range from small stalls to shopping malls and night lodges, and all feature Somali names such as Tawakal, Mogadishu, Qaran and Halal.

Products are typically imported from Mogadishu and Dubai and include designer clothing, jewellery and even camel milk. In late 2012, mass emigration of Somali residents was reported after a prolonged period of harassment by the Kenyan police and the public.

Hundreds of Somali entrepreneurs withdrew between Sh10 to Sh40 billion from their bank accounts, to reinvest most of that money back home in Somalia. The collective departures most affected Eastleigh's real estate sector, as landlords struggled to find Kenyans able to afford the high rates of the apartments and shops vacated by the Somalis.

 

There is a stall for everything, from household to hardware items. This area has continued to develop through the years, and its existence today is due to the fight of one Kenyan community against racial segregation. Here, locals are business savvy, and this is evident from the booming biasharas such as textiles and jewellery. There is an appreciation for Somali culture, thanks to the number of restaurants that specialize in this community’s cuisine.

 

Shopping in Eastleigh

Forget Biashara Street, Eastleigh’s where it’s at. If you’re in the market for curtains, textiles of any kind, or discount clothing, this is where you’ll find the cheapest bargains in Nairobi.

The market area, known as Garissa Lodge, is loosely organised by product. Curtain sellers – and makers – crowd together, while it takes some dodging to navigate through the textiles, where great piles of material are scattered all over the shopping hall.

What you buy in Biashara Street came first from Eastleigh, and is simply marked up.  

Important Places

Moi Air Base: The Eastleigh Airport (Moi Air Base) is located in the northern parts of Eastleigh. The Airport took on the name Moi Air Base in the 1980s. The base was the site of the British Royal Air Force base known as RAF Eastleigh.

The dual-use facility was also the main civilian international airport in Nairobi for the period 1943-to 1958 before the opening of the new airport at Embakasi (since named Jomo Kenyatta International Airport).

Eastleigh is divided into Eastleigh North and Eastleigh South. Both are part of Nairobi's Pumwani division. Eastleigh is further partitioned into three areas: Section I - from Juja Road; Section II - the commercial centre and Section III - situated towards Jogoo Road

 

Notable areas

Sunset Takeaway; This little fish and chip shop, with its low-key dining room with Formica tabletops, is one of the most popular cafes in Eastleigh. Its standards and prices are a bit high, however, to ensure a classier kind of clientele.

Gold, gold, gold: From the outside, the gold souk looks nondescript. Inside, however, dozens of shrouded Somali women, hissing and clacking to potential customers, cluster behind glass display cases of gold bangles, necklaces, earrings, and pendants. Money changers buzz around us, waving calculators.

Kilimanjaro Food Court:  Eastleigh’s KFC? No, not Kentucky Fried Chicken, but the Kilimanjaro Food Court is a joint of its uniqueness. Somalis gravitate towards this very popular dining area for Somali dishes, such as tender young goat meat, camel stew, and the ubiquitous pizza.

Social amenities

There are several schools located in Eastleigh, they include; Eastleigh High School; St Teresa Boys High School; St Teresa Girls High School; Pumwani Boys High School and Maina Wajingi High school.

St Teresa’s Catholic Church: A popular meeting spot, St Teresa’s is a sanctuary from the chaotic environs of Eastleigh.

Eastleigh residents, share the stories of your childhoods with us! Can you shop for anything and everything in this neighbourhood