Somali Businesses Snapping Up Kisumu’s CBD
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- March 10, 2023
In recent years, the Kenyan Somali business community has gone on overdrive. They are firmly taking up space in Nairobi’s CBD with real estate acquisitions, eateries, coffee, and electronics shops and boutiques. This is after years of operating mainly from the bustling Eastleigh market. It seems like a natural urge for growth and expansion, and it’s a nationwide strategic template because it’s not just in Nairobi.
From Indians (Kenyan) to Somalis (Kenyan)
Kisumu’s CBD has also seen a steady influx of Somali businesses into its space. The shops down at Oginga Odinga street, the area that used to house famous big-name Indian Electrical and retail shops, are being occupied one shop at a time by Somalis at a very steady pace.
Like in Nairobi, businesses are moving from their central shopping location, the Garissa Lodge, to the city’s high streets. It was at first an electronics shop, then another, then a high-end restaurant, a clothes store, and a household shop, and now the street is well dotted with Somali businesses on both sides. Soon they may be taking up the whole streets of this city. The majorly Indian landlords choose to either move to manufacture or venture out of Kisumu to towns like Siaya, Homa Bay, and other growing centers. Some are relocating overseas, leaving prime commercial spaces.
How did they do it?
One thing that makes the Somali businesses empire tick is the affordable goods they have on the market. It caters to a big chunk of the market, plus they have variety. You walk into a supermarket, check their prices on items like carpets or electronics, then move downtown to the Somali shops. You find some staggering price differences for the same or almost the same quality.
Somali business also does well because they have an inherent entrepreneurship spirit. They are a relentless people commercially. You will find Somali enterprises all over the globe, in South Africa, the United Kingdom, USA…..
They have a sizeable diaspora community that invests back home through their kin, remitting millions and shipping goods. They have a solid communal bond (in politics, most of their leaders decide on clan factor), giving them access to accessible capital, apprenticeship, and market links.
Continuous expansion and improvement
As they move into Kisumu’s CBD, the Garissa lodge area has had modern shops cum hotel tower and other shops coming up next to it. We shall see plenty more Somali outlets in and around Kisumu’s CBD. Let the people shop.
