Gitare Shopping Centre and The History of Its Origin
Gitare Shopping Centre stands proudly as a rural hub nestled within Gilgil constituency in Nakuru County, Kenya, conveniently situated along the Gilgil-Gitare-Tumaini road. Serving as the central point for Gitare location in Moridat ward, Gilgil Sub- County.
In the 1960s, as Kenya celebrated its independence from colonial rule, the government faced the complex task of managing a populace that had been dispossessed of its ancestral lands. With high expectations that the newly established self-rule government would restore land to its rightful owners, the Kenyan government initiated a comprehensive program. This program aimed to redistribute the vast farms and ranches formerly owned by European settlers, commonly referred to as "The White Highlands," to African small-scale holders through the implementation of African Land Settlement schemes. Against this historical backdrop, two notable schemes emerged:
Gitare Farmers' Cooperative Society (GITARE FARM) and
Naivasha Kikuyu Farmers' Cooperative Society (SHATI FARM),
both situated adjacent to each other in the northern part of Gilgil town.
In 1968, residents from diverse regions of Central Kenya embarked on a significant chapter in Gitare's history by registering to obtain land under the newly established schemes. The allocated land was devoid of any public or social amenities, lacking schools, markets, health centers, shops, water sources, and electricity. Faced with the challenge of adapting to this barren landscape, the African settlers joined forces to create social and economic welfare groups. These united efforts led to the inception of crucial initiatives, such as the establishment of Gitare Primary School in 1970 and the construction of churches for spiritual growth.
Recognizing this gap, astute entrepreneurs seized the opportunity and established shops deep within the rural villages. These village shops, while unable to offer a comprehensive range of goods, stocked vital items like sugar, tea leaves, salt, parafin and matchboxes among others. In our village for example, Mzee "Mwangi wa Nguo" owned a shop in Cura village, while another one belonged to Mzee "Kariuki wa Magîrî," affectionately known as "Kariuki Gatira," situated in Upper Moridat village. Across the Moridat River, Mzee Wa Matu Ngûkû operated a shop, yet his establishment faced security challenges. Robbers frequently targeted his shop, exploiting its isolated location from neighboring homesteads, resulting in its closure due to security concerns. Typically, these village shops operated sporadically to allow owners time for farm responsibilities.
For an alternative, residents sought a shop three kilometers away at Kanyamwi farm, right deep into Kanyamwi farm was a shop owned by Mr. Mohammed Kimalel. If, by chance, Mr. Mohammed's shop was closed, we had no choice but to wait patiently on a bench, as there were no other accessible shops nearby. The challenges faced by the community during this period were indeed formidable.
In 1980, the landscape changed for the better with the allocation of land adjacent to Gitare Primary School for public amenities. The land was equally and let me say generously contributed by both the Gitare Farmers' Cooperative Society (GITARE FARM) and Naivasha Kikuyu Farmers' Cooperative Society (SHATI FARM). It was designated for the establishment of a marketplace, the construction of churches, and the creation of a daily milk collection point, a Pyrethrum collection point, and various shared facilities. Additionally, it served as a space where individuals could establish their entrepreneurial ventures.
This marked the inception of Gitare Shopping Centre, with “Mzee Kariuki Gatira” taking the credit of pioneering the very first shop. His shop incorporated a hotel and butchery, the goat meat was hanged on a tree. Funny I tell.
This shop sparked immense excitement among the villagers. There was a palpable eagerness among everyone to indulge in what Mzee Kariuki was offering. It was a dream come true, particularly for school-going children who before the shop brought packed lunches in small containers from home. The arrival of hot Mandazi directly from the kitchen became a village sensation, altering the traditional approach to bringing food to school and hanging under an acacia tree, that’s a story for another day, my friends and classmates Mugweru, Kihanya and Waithaka will help me narrate. Well back to the story, indulging in delights like Kaimati, Mûkonye, Patco, and Ball gum candies became a cherished experience, this culinary adventure quickly became a village favorite, and for as little as ten cents, one could not miss something to eat.
Subsequently, several enterprising individuals enthusiastically erected their shops, following in the footsteps of Mzee Kariuki. For historical recognition, it is fitting to acknowledge a select few who valiantly embraced the challenge, significantly contributing to the flourishing success of Gitare Shopping Centre. Among these pioneers, we express gratitude to Mzee Joshua, Mzee Mwangi wa Nguo, whose establishment served as both a general shop and a tailoring shop where we fitted our school uniforms, Mama Teresia, Mzee Kibiro, Mbugua Mbachio (Country). Others who played integral roles included Mzee Ngugi wa Karanja, whose establishment operated a pub, a butchery and a shop. Mr. Mara Karubia with a butchery where we frequented for soup and half bread. Special mention goes to Mama Tony, another lady going by the name Gakui, Mr. Gathiaka Bakery renowned for its mouth watering hot scones and queen cakes, and Baba Gakuri Posho Mill and not to forget Baba Kiuna shop. Each of these ventures contributed significantly to the rapid and dynamic growth of Gitare Shopping Centre.
The introduction of a weekly market day on Sundays injected liveliness into Gitare Shopping Centre, metamorphosing it into a thriving focal point. Churches, previously conducting their services in the school classrooms, relocated to their allotted plots and constructed their church buildings. With the Shopping Centre firmly established and operational, the energy exuded by the residents was palpable, evident in the multitudes of both young and old who gathered every Sunday. Affectionately, they coined it a nickname "Kambî," signifying a place to convene and camp.
The prosperity of a shopping centre hinges on efficient transportation. As Gitare Shopping Centre took shape, the necessity to make journey to Gilgil town for retail stocks escalated. Seizing the opportunity, residents with interests in the transport business invested in pickups, facilitating the movement of people and goods between Gitare and Gilgil town for a fee. Among the pioneers of this transport service in no particular order were Mzee Wa Matu Nguku, Mzee Mbachio Kariuki, Mr. Mwondou Ngatho, Mzee Kamau of Twendane, Mzee Kariuki Thara, Mzee Kahawa, Mr. Ruigu young and vibrant, and others who used tractors to transport milk to the creamaries. These pickups operated during the 1980s and 1990s long before the widespread use of motorbikes, commonly referred to as boda boda.
However, transporters encountered numerous challenges. The road from Gitare Shopping Centre to Gilgil town, has remained a murram road over the years. In the 1970s, the road was well-maintained by the government of the day, with vehicles rarely facing difficulties. But, government administration of the 1980s and 90s, made the road's condition to deteriorate significantly. Poor maintenance during this period subjected residents to difficult experiences, especially during wet seasons when the road became muddy. Mobility and goods transportation became nightmarish, with instances of the road being completely impassable. The vehicles that operated within that route could not bear the heat of mechanical breakdown due to bad road. This posed a substantial impediment to the growth of Gitare Shopping Centre, directly affecting the social and economic well-being of its residents. The produce of local farmers, including milk, maize, pyrethrum, potatoes, beans, and other commodities, often went to waste without access to the market.
In the face of numerous challenges, the residents of Gitare have steadily taken small steps each day to move forward. The younger members often migrate to the city whenever the opportunity arises, while those who remain have confronted challenges with resilience, charting a distinct course of progress, giving credit to Devolution and the efforts of National Government through National Government - Constituency Development Funds (NG-CDF). These funds, originating from both the County and the National Government, have brought about a profound transformation in the landscape of Gitare Shopping Centre and the surroundings.
One notable change is the sinking of a water borehole, though the piped distribution is still pending, Nevertheless, the visible efforts to bring water closer to the community are evident. The electrification of the Shopping Centre stands out as a significant accomplishment, gradually extending into the villages, I give credit to the unwavering commitment of the current Member of Parliament Hon. Martha Wangari, who consistently upholds her mantra of "One village at a time." The introduction of electricity to this rural setting opens doors to communication networks, ushering in Internet services, innovation hubs, and providing learning institutions with the opportunity to offer Wi-Fi for learners, thereby exploring a myriad of possibilities. Additionally, the lighting enhances security and creates various other opportunities like extending hours of trade into the night.
Gitare Shopping Centre has now expanded to include a health facility and an administration camp to address security concerns and other community issues. The presence of a public secondary school, several private schools is an indicator that growth is on an upward trajectory. The roads can be termed as well-maintained murram roads to the villages giving farmers an assurance that their produce will have access to the markets. Although the main road to Gilgil town remains a murram road, it is meticulously maintained once again credit to Hon. Martha. The tarmacking of the northern section of the road from Kanyîrîrî centre to Tumaini Centre instills hope among Gitare residents that the day for the Gitare-Gilgil section to be paved is on the horizon. A positive outlook permeates the community.
The positive transformation has extended to surrounding villages such as Upper Moridat, Lower Moridat, Lower Twendane, Upper Twendane, Cura, Kabugi, Kagûmû, Gatondo, Kigogo, and Gitare Gicagi. Beyond the original schemes also lies, Kanyamwi Farm, Twendane Farm, Salient Scheme, Mawingu Scheme, and Armstrong Farm all these being part of the extended community.
The resilience and hard work of the African Settlers have paved way for Gitare Shopping Centre's promising future. As it continues to thrive, there is a growing optimism that one day, just one day, it will be granted the well-deserved status of a town charter. That sounds like a dream. Thats a story for another day.
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