Juja Municipality
Juja, a municipality in Kiambu County, Kenya, is situated about 30 kilometers north of Nairobi, nestled between Thika and Ruiru. Under the Nairobi Metropolitan Authority as envisioned in Vision 2030, it is developing into an important industrial and educational hub.
Juja’s history dates back to around 1900 when Lord William Northrop Macmillan arrived in Nairobi with two West African statues named Ju and Ja. Believing these statues brought him good fortune, Macmillan settled along the Thika road, purchasing about 19,000 acres—far exceeding the legal limit of 5,000 acres—and naming his estate Ju-Ja Farm. However, the area soon gained a reputation for superstition, leading locals to consider it cursed. To dispel these fears, Macmillan’s wife buried the idols in Ndarugu Valley near Thika Town, and the name Juja gradually replaced the original name, Weru wa Ndarugu.
Today, Juja is a Municipality, which comprises five wards: Juja, Murera, Theta, Kalimoni, and Witithie. The Municipality is home to Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and hosts various industries, including Pulp and Paper (which recycles brown paper), Star Plastics (producing water drums and plastic products), Safari Stationers (stationery products), and Hydro Aluminum (aluminum profiles). Key landmarks include Juja City Mall, Juja Preparatory School, Kalimoni Primary School, Mang’u High School, and a segment of the Thika Superhighway.
