Kilimani “The Ghetto of the Ghettoest!”: Gloria Ntazola Blasts Nairobi’s “Expensive Slums"

Kenyan digital creator Ntazola Gloria has sparked an online debate after calling out what she describes as the “ghettoization” of Nairobi’s once-upscale neighborhoods, accusing developers of overpricing poorly designed apartments and ignoring basic urban planning standards.

Through a series of Instagram stories, Gloria expressed frustration over the rising cost of living in areas such as Kilimani, Lavington, and Kileleshwa, where residents are paying up to KSh 80,000 for apartments she claims are poorly built and overcrowded.

“Right now, if you live in Kilimani, Lavington, Kileleshwa etc., it’s becoming this if you've been to the U.S, you know those apartments they call them blocks, with very long corridors and doors facing each other like dormitories,” she wrote.

“Imagine you pay over 80k to live in a block. With poor house plans and open kitchens  you can’t even cook in peace.”

“Expensive Slums” and Never-Ending Construction

Gloria went on to criticize the rampant construction boom in these prime estates, noting that developers are squeezing high-rise buildings into every available space without considering residents’ comfort or infrastructure.

“I’m not kidding, there’s construction everywhere with tall buildings up to 20 storeys. You can’t drive three minutes without seeing a new construction, and they are so tight — it looks like expensive slums,” she lamented.

The influencer further shared how noise pollution from constant drilling and poor building maintenance has made life unbearable for tenants.

“You can’t sleep, they’re always drilling something. The cheapest house in this neighborhood is KSh 65,000, and that’s one bedroom. The rest go up to KSh 250,000. Imagine paying all that only to be woken up by drilling and construction noises at 7 a.m.,” she added.

“Kilimani Is the Ghetto of the Ghettoest”

In a follow-up post, Gloria addressed the misconception that living in Kilimani or Lavington represents a certain class or luxury lifestyle. She dismissed that notion entirely, calling Kilimani “the ghetto of the ghettoest.”

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“Nobody should ever tell you living here is a certain class. It’s not. It’s the ghetto of the ghettoest. Even roads have terrible potholes right now; you can’t drive smoothly — it’s so bumpy,” she wrote.

Her remarks resonated with many Nairobi residents who echoed similar frustrations about the city’s rapid, unplanned urban development and high living costs.