Eastleigh was originally a large Kenyan Asian enclave until independence in 1963 and after their migration en masse, the majority of houses by 1970 were owned by Kikuyu landlords but there was a significant Somali presence at the time. 
The Eastleigh Airport (Moi Air Base) is located in northern parts of Eastleigh.
Mohamed Amin, a famous photojournalist, was born in Eastleigh.
Administratively, Eastleigh is divided into Eastleigh North and Eastleigh South. Both are part of the Pumwani division of Nairobi.