Nairobi under British colonial administration became a masterclass in racial segregation. The city was deliberately divided into distinct neighborhoods, each corresponding to a racial or ethnic hierarchy that reflected the colonial worldview.
The European Highlands
European settlers and administrators occupied the elevated, verdant areas of Karen, Muthaiga, and Kilimani. These suburbs featured spacious colonial villas set in gardens, golf clubs, and exclusive residential areas where Europeans maintained a lifestyle reminiscent of the English countryside. Karen, in particular, became famous as the location of Karen Blixen's coffee farm, immortalized in her memoir "Out of Africa."
Asian Commercial Quarters
Bazaar Street and the surrounding areas became the commercial center for the Indian and Asian community. Here, wholesale merchants, retailers, traders, and money lenders operated the bulk of Nairobi's commerce. This quarter became the de facto business district, though its profitability and density attracted European resentment and periodic attempts to restrict Indian property ownership.
African Locations
Africans (and later, upcountry migrants) were confined to segregated locations on the outskirts of the city. Pumwani, the oldest African location, was established in 1903 specifically to house African laborers and domestic servants. Eastlands (including areas like Buruburu and Umoja) were developed later as dumping grounds for the African population that the city needed but did not wish to integrate.
The Spatial Legacy
This colonial spatial order persisted well beyond independence in 1964. Affluent areas retained their exclusivity. Asian businesspeople remained concentrated in commerce. African working-class neighborhoods remained economically marginalized. The slums that emerged later (Kibera, Mathare, Korogocho) occupied land that had been designated for African settlement but never properly developed.
See Also
Nairobi Timeline Nairobi Ethnic Mix Nairobi Economy Nairobi National Park Kikuyu Nairobi Colonial City