Some cities are born in a short span of time. About a hundred and fifty years ago, the region where the city of Nairobi sits today was an uninhabited swamp. Only the Indian labourers working, for the Uganda railway camped in the place. The city grew out of this swamp, gradually yet steadily.
Nairobi’s name comes from a water hole in the region called ‘Enkare Nairobi’ in Maasai language. It meant ‘a place of cool water’. The city was founded in 1899. Today, the city is the main commercial and cultural centre of East Africa and is the capital of the most developed country there, Kenya. The city presents a blend of all major Kenyan ethnic groups such as Kikuyu, Luo, Luhya, Kalenjin Kisii, and Kamba.
The white settlers who came to Kenya during the colonial period had their farms and homes in the Ngong Hills and Limuru, situated west of Nairobi. Due to the lush green forests of the city, it is often nicknamed as the ‘Green City in the Sun’. The Nairobi National Park is an attempt by the government to preserve the natural beauty of the city.
However, crime is a growing problem in Nairobi. Therefore, the ‘Green City in the Sun’ is often nicknamed as ‘Nairobbery’ to point out the alarming rate of crimes in the city.
Picture Credit: Google