[3] Ruiru is about 20 kilometres (12 mi) by road northeast of the central business district of Nairobi, the nation's capital city.

In 1997, Ruiru was upgraded to municipality status comprising nine elective wards: Biashara, Gitothua, Gatongora, Kahawa Sukari, Githurai, Kimbo, Jacaranda, Theta, Viwanda, and Murera.

[10] The creation of the Nairobi Metropolitan Region (NMR) by an Executive Order in May 2008 put the town under its broader urban integrated plan.

The Tatu City Industrial Park is found within Ruiru and is home to many factories, including BIDCO, Copia, Dormans, Davis & Shirtliff, Tianlong, Stecol, and Dr. Mattress.

Information and communication technology businesses are also emerging, including SmartEdge PASHA Center, a digital village where the community can buy computers and find free training.

Ruiru is home to major government and private infrastructure developments, including Tatu City, a 5,000-acre mixed-use project.

The rapid population growth is attributable to several factors: the shortage of affordable residential housing in Nairobi; the infrastructure development, especially Thika Road and Nairobi Eastern Bypass Highway, and the associated commercial and residential development that followed the new highways; and the presence of university campuses in or near Ruiru.

In July 2022, the President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, broke ground in Ruiru for the Amref International University.