Kilimani is a mixed-use commercial and residential neighbourhood in the city of Nairobi.
Location
Kilimani is located approximately 5 kilometres (3 mi) west of Nairobi’s central business district, within Westlands Sub-county. It is north of Woodley; east of Kileleshwa, mainly separated by the Kirichwa River; the larger Kilimani sub-location encompasses the part of Upper Hill (contains Hurlingham and Caledonia estates), and the Kilimani estates.
Overview
The neighbourhood was established among other earliest neighbourhoods as a whites-only residential area by the British colonialists in earlier the 20th century. It was not until the 1960s when it was racially integrated. The neighbourhood has historically been primarily low-density residential, but since 2000 has become increasingly high-density mixed residential and commercial; both retail and offices. Some of the high-rise buildings have been built contrary to the county’s bylaws and have been characterised as vertical slums due to them burdening the existing laid infrastructure.
Points of interest
Residencies
State House Nairobi, the official residence of the President of Kenya is located in Kilimani, on State House Road. Schools
(1) Kilimani Primary School, Milimani Primary School, St Hannah’s School, St. Nicholas School, St Christophers School, Cavina School are all located in the neighborhood. (2) The Lycée Denis Diderot, the French international school, is in Kilimani. It moved there in 1972. (3) West Nairobi School, a Christian international school, opened in Kilimani in 1996 but moved to Karen in 2000. (4) State House Girls’ School is located on the grounds of State House Nairobi. Svenska Skolan, the Swedish international school, is located in Kilimani. Banks
The headquarters of Sidian Bank are located on Wood Avenue in Kilimani. Shopping malls
Adam’s Arcade is the oldest shopping centre of its kind in neighbouring Woodley, Nairobi, Kenya, as well as East and Central Africa as a whole. Established in 1954 and completed in 1959 by Abdul Habib Adam.
Yaya Centre, in Hurlingham, is a shopping mall with over 100 retail shops. Parks
The Nairobi Arboretum, featuring more than 300 exotic and indigenous tree species, is located in Kilimani, adjacent to State House.
