At a time when Nairobi’s satellite towns like Ruiru, Utawala, and Ruai are thriving with new apartment blocks and high rental demand, Buruburu, once the pride of Kenya’s middle class, is struggling to attract decent renters.
The estate’s streets still carry traces of the 1970s promise of modern living, but that charm no longer appeals to today’s professionals.
“Buruburu was designed to serve the emerging middle class in the 1970s,” says real estate investment analyst Johnson Denge. “It comprises five phases built between 1974 and 1984.”
Five decades later, that vision is showing its age. Many of the maisonettes are now 40 to 50 years old, with outdated designs and little renovation.
“The estate is nearing obsolescence,” Mr Denge says. “Without regeneration, it cannot attract as much rent as newer areas.”
Buruburu’s early appeal lay in its neat rows of maisonettes, gardens, and paved roads. While similar estates such as South C and Kilimani have transformed to accomodate the tastes of today's middle class, Buruburu has not given in to the pressure, remaining stunted.
“Areas like Ruiru and Utawala have taken over because they offer modern designs and better planning,” Mr Denge notes. “Tenants looking for value for money prefer those locations.”
The unchecked conversion of homes into commercial spaces has worsened the situation. “People are extending their houses to tap into high-density demand, which erodes the estate’s original appeal,” he says.
Infrastructure has also declined. Poor roads, congestion, and rising insecurity have pushed the middle class elsewhere.
“Buruburu is now surrounded by lower middle-income estates and suffers from poor infrastructure and social ills. The middle class has options, and Buruburu is no longer one of them,” says Mr Denge.
He estimates that maisonettes of 100–200 square metres fetch between Sh35,000 and Sh60,000 monthly, rates that have barely changed in years. “The rent should be around Sh300 to Sh500 per square metre, depending on condition,” he says.
The zoning hurdle
One of the biggest barriers to redevelopment is Buruburu’s zoning restrictions, which prohibit high-rise apartments.
“Unlike South B and South C, where the county government relaxed zoning rules and upgraded sewer systems, Buruburu remains tightly controlled,” Mr Denge explains. “Investors prefer nearby areas where they can build higher and maximise returns.”
A view of Buruburu Phase One estate in Nairobi pictured on October 14, 2025.
Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group
Even if zoning were relaxed, expansion options are limited since the estate is fully built up. “Buruburu was fully built up, so there is very little room for expansion. To spur development, the county must allow higher densities to attract private investors,” he suggests.
Property agent Christine Otieno of Urban Realtors says tenants nowadays prioritise convenience and aesthetics, qualities Buruburu struggles to offer.
“A modern two-bedroom unit in Kamakis or Utawala goes for Sh35,000–Sh45,000, with amenities such as rooftop laundry areas, parking, a gym, and security. In Buruburu, for the same rent, you get an older maisonette that needs renovation,” she says.
Many tenants, she adds, would rather pay Sh5,000–Sh10,000 more for a modern, secure home. “For them, it’s about lifestyle, not just shelter.”
Rental income
Data from several agencies show that while a standard maisonette in Buruburu rents for Sh35,000–Sh60,000, similar units in newer estates like Greenspan, Nasra, or Mihango fetch between Sh45,000 and Sh70,000, and tenants are willing to pay the difference.
Ms Otieno says that middle-class tenants increasingly view Buruburu as “an outdated option,” despite slightly lower prices.
“When clients compare a fresh apartment in Ruiru with an old Buruburu unit with cracked terrazzo floors and little parking, the choice is obvious,” says Ms Otieno.
According to Moses Akumu, another property agent, single rooms go for Sh4,000–Sh8,000, bedsitters Sh8,000–Sh12,000, one-bedroom units Sh12,000–Sh18,000, and two-bedroom houses Sh18,000–Sh30,000.
Buruburu's golden era
In the early years, Buruburu homeowners bought their units through the Housing Finance Corporation (now Housing Finance Group), paying gradually while in occupancy.
A view of Buruburu Phase One estate in Nairobi pictured on October 14, 2025.
Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group
Phase One resident Patrick Mwai, who now chairs the Buruburu Phase One Residents’ Welfare Association, recalls buying a house for about Sh44,000, a significant cost then.
“Salaries were about Sh600–Sh800 for government workers,” he says.
He fondly remembers the estate’s original setup: “We had short wooden fences, shared courts with trees, flower beds, and car parks. It was a planned, green neighbourhood.”
But over time, matatus began using estate roads, and livestock grazed freely. Residents also started building upwards, beyond the original one-storey limit.
“We have been resisting that, because if you build a house on three floors because they block sunlight and airflow,” Mr Mwai says.
Estate ranking
A 2023–2024 KNBS real estate report ranks Buruburu in the “Nairobi Middle” category alongside Kasarani, Donholm, Kamulu, Ruai, and Madaraka, the third of four residential tiers.
A two-bedroom bungalow in Buruburu now averages Sh11.2 million, far below the Sh66.3 million average in upper-tier areas. A three-bedroom maisonette costs Sh13.5 million, compared to Sh31.3 million in Kilimani and Sh88 million in Karen.
Kariobangi South MCA Robert Mbatia blames poor roads for further dampening Buruburu’s prospects.
“Phase One has very dilapidated service roads that have never been repaired since construction,” he says. “They’re now bare and muddy, especially during the rains, one of our biggest challenges.”
