From flowers to tourism, Naivasha is a gem

In less than 10 years, Naivasha has morphed from a little floricultural and horticultural zone to a hub of tourism and a trendsetter in real estate. The town wields so much economic power in Nakuru county.

Not only does it house Africa’s largest geothermal power plant in Olkaria, it is home to famed Hell's Gate National Park and conservancies that hold Africa’s near extinct species of herbivores.

In 1997, for instance, tiny Naivasha Self-service stores, which was rebranded into Naivas, was the only supermarket, located on Kariuki Chotara Road.

Poly Clinic was the only credible private medical facility in the town. Today, these sectors are booming with many investors.

Being the second most populous town in Nakuru County, Naivasha’s rapid urbanisation patterns have left many baffled.

The Moi South Lake Road, along which all major flower companies Like Oserian and Sher Karuturi lie, is the economic driver of this town. But life has not always been this good for Naivasha.

A tragedy that hit one of the flower firms may be the reason Naivasha transformed from a small town to a force to reckon with in the political and economic spheres.

From the early 90s, Sher Karuturi, formerly Dutch-owned Sher Agencies, was known as Africa’s largest Roses producer.

Then in 1995, a dysentery outbreak killed more than 30 of the company’s workers. As the disease spread, the government, through the Ministry of Health, was forced to intervene to save the 2,000 workers whose lives had been dependent on the firm.

Like Sher, other nearby flower companies such as Sulmac, had very informal improperly constructed houses for their workers.

With the high population and poor sanitation, disease outbreaks were common.

Pressure from the government forced the firms to built proper housing and other modern amenities, such as schools and hospitals, for their workers.

As the working conditions improved, professionals from the middle class were hired in all the departments managing the firms.

Business got better for flower sellers, attracting human resource-related services and other leisure activities to the growing elite community in the town.

Some of the workers did not find the company houses comfortable enough. Therefore, they had to drive 15 kilometres from the flower farms to town.

Real estate entrepreneurs saw this as an opportunity and moved in quickly to construct better houses in Naivasha town, leading to the growth of decent estates like Lake View, Sight and Three Point.

Coincidentally, Naivasha is only 45 minutes’ drive from Nairobi, and when there was no more land for residents of Nairobi to buy for construction, many moved to Naivasha where land was cheaper.

For years an eighth of an acre in Villa View, Naivasha’s first gated community, was priced at Sh100,000.

Today, one pays as much as Sh1.8 million for that same piece of land.

With the growth of Internet, foreigners learnt of the special bird species such as the Lammergeyer, only found in the Hell’s Gate National park, and flocked the town.

Angelina Jolie shot part of her award winning Tomb Raider movie at Hells’ Gate.

Investors in the hospitality industry had to meet the accommodation demands for this breed of clients, hence the rise of five-star hotels, such as Enashipai and Sopa Lodge.

DAIRY FARMING

Conservancies, such as Eburu and Wileli, with land as large as 60,000 acres, came up to protect endangered species like the Eland and the colobus monkeys.

With better housing and social amenities, the population of flower farm workers grew exponentially from 6,000 in the early 90s to 75,000 in 2013.

With flower companies unable to house and offer welfare services to this number of people, private investors came along to offer housing, medical and other social services, leading to the growth of Naivasha.

Privileged address schools such as Acacia and Oasis Junior along the Maai Mahiu road came into existence.

Just a kilometre from the central business district is Manera Farm, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, Kenya Cooperative Creameries and Delamere farm, whose innovative approach to dairy farming has benefited the locals in transforming how they approach dairy cattle rearing.

Climate change reared its ugly head and flower companies began suffering losses because of the high cost of keeping flowers from pests and diseases.

As a solution, Stokman Rozen became the first company in Naivasha to breed its own flowers tailored for the Kenyan weather.

Though anchored on the flower industry, the population growth in Naivasha has attracted other business.

With the discovery of more steam wells by geothermal companies in the town, sand mining as well as new methods of farming, the world has not had heard enough of this town.