Graveyards are often associated with bad omen and people try as much as possible to live far away from them to avoid 'evil spirits'.
Interestingly, this is not the case in Kisumu where Polyview Estate lies on a large piece of land that was a public cemetery during the 80's and was even named Makaburini.
Currently, the estate boasts of some of the most modern storey buildings in Kisumu and is highly sought after by tenants.
Its proximity to Kisumu town is one of its major selling points and rent is quite affordable for the middle-class.
Located near Kaloleni slums in the lakeside city, Polyview Estate is a true reflection of the demand for housing in the country and the extents to which real estate developers are willing to go to expand their businesses.
According to former Kisumu Mayor Priscah Auma, the then county's municipal council decided that there was no need to have a cemetery near the Central Business District (CBD) and there was a need to plan for the surging population.
“We decided as a council that there was no need to have a cemetery near the Central Business District (CBD) since the population of the town was growing and people, therefore needed a place to live,” she said.
The price of land in the area has also gone up and the county government is reselling some plots around the estate.
[caption caption="A Housing Block in Polyview Estate"]
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