Nairobi Landmarks and Buildings

Nairobi’s CBD is rectangular in shape, or to be precise, a trapezoid-like shape boxed in by Uhuru Highway (to the SW), Haile Selassie Avenue (SE), Moi Avenue (NE) and University Way (NW7). Its shape is due to the original plan for a railway depot town that developed in front of the railway station. CBD features many of Nairobi’s important buildings, including the Parliament Buildings, the High Court and the City Hall. The City Square is also located here. Due to Nairobi’s two construction booms, one after independence and one during the 1990s, today this African city is endowed with an unusual skyline.
 Around the Station, Haile Selassie Avenue and City Square
The Nairobi Railway Station is the starting point of Nairobi. The street that runs north—west from the Station is Moi Ave. Originally it was called Station Road. The name was changed to Government Road when Sir Charles Eliot took control of the town from the Railways in March 1901. To demonstrate his authority, the Protectorate flag was flown outside the Lands’ Office. After Daniel arap Moi’s election as the second president of Kenya, the name was changed to Moi Avenue. The Railway Headquarters is to the front left of the Station. Haile Selassie Ave. (previously, First Ave. or Whitehouse Rd.) is parallel to the present-day Station Rd. Skyscrapers can be seen along this Avenue. City Square is the site where KICC, the President’s Office, the Law Courts and other government buildings are situated.

NAIROBI RAILWAY STATION

Station Road.
In May 1899, after 31/2 years of challenging construction work from Mombasa, the railhead reached the area which has now become the city of Nairobi, originally thought to be just another caravan camp.

NAIROBI RAILWAY MUSEUM

The Museum was established by the East African Railways and Harbours Corporation in 1971, and is operated by Kenya Railways. It exhibits the history of railway construction and early travel in East Africa. The Museum still has tracks connected to the main railway line. Restored locomotives are displayed in the yard, and they are occasionally used for steam excursions.

KENYA RAILWAYS HEADQUARTERS

Moi Ave.
1914; opened in 1927.
Sir Herbert Baker.
In 1901 the Railway Headquarters was moved from Mombasa to Nairobi and was housed in a small tin structure near the Station.
The construction of the new Headquarters started in the 1920s and was completed in 1927. The Railways constituted the biggest portion of the economy of the country at that time and this impressive building manifests the power the Railways held. It still stands solid and firm despite its moribund operations.

CHURCH HOUSE

The Church Mission Society commissioned this building to house its bookshop and administrative offices. A single floor block forms the podium-like base of the building. The first floor is raised by three feet to allow for light and ventilation in the basement. St. Stephen’s, the first church in town, once stood on this land.

TIMES TOWER

Haile Selassie Ave.
At 140 metres tall, the Times Tower is the tallest building in East Africa. It is an office tower with 38 floors, and it has a seven-storey banking complex and a multistorey car park alongside it.
It was originally built as the headquarters of the Central Bank of Kenya. It was, however, a surplus to the Central Bank’s requirements and had threatened the office space supply balance in CBD at that time. It was renamed Times Tower and allocated to the Kenya Revenue Authority in late 1997. It took nearly 4 years to complete construction. Times Tower alone accounted for nearly half of the office development, spacewise, in the CBD at that time.

CO-OPERATIVE HOUSE aka CO-OPERATIVE BANK HOUSE

Haile Selassie Ave.
1981.
This building houses the Co-operative Bank’s head office and other businesses. It is fondly known by locals as the “Bell-Bottom Building” due to its shape.
The building was severely damaged by the bombing of the US Embassy on Aug. 7, 1998, which killed more than 200 innocents. The seven-storey Ufundi Co-operative House adjacent to the Embassy crumbled to the ground; next to it, the Co-operative Bank House remained standing, but was gutted, with all its windows blown out. It has since been repaired and restored to its former state. The ground where Ufundi Cooperative House stood now holds the August 7th Bombing Memorial Park, designed by Melanie Richards.

SHERIA HOUSE

Haile Selassie Ave.
1981.
Sheria (“law” in Swahili) House was formerly called Crown Law Building. The architect drew inspiration from the decoration of Moghul models, particularly the Taj Mahal and the screens of the I’timad-ud- Daulah’s tomb, in Agra. He also tried to give an impression of the mixed East African culture. He introduced the idea of a perforated Moghul-style sun-protection screen.

PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Parliament Rd.
The Legislative Council, the forerunner of Parliament, first met in an old corrugated iron-sheet building at the present location of the Railway Golf Club in August 17, 1907, and stayed there until 1924. Afterwards, between 1924 and 1954, the Legislative Council met in Memorial Hall (where the present Bank of India building is located) on Kenyatta Avenue.
Construction of the Parliament Building (the older portion) started in March 1952, was completed in February 1954 and was opened by the Governor, Sir Evelyn Baring. After independence, the legislature became bicameral, so it was necessary to construct an extension to accommodate another Chamber. Construction started in December 1963 to the south of the original building, and was completed and officially opened by ]omo Kenyatta in November 1965. The architect was Amyas Connell.
During the time of construction, the House of Representatives used the Legislative Council Chamber, while the Senate rented a hall in the Nairobi City Council’s Hall on Harambee Avenue. The motto over the main door reads: “For a just society and fair government of men.”

JOMO KENYATTA MAUSOLEUM

The first President, ]omo Kenyatta, was laid to rest on the northern side of the Parliament. The area was part of the landscaped gardens of the Parliament Buildings.

KICC (KENYATTA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE)

City Hall and Harambee Ave.
1973
It consists of a 26-storey office tower, an amphitheatre, and a low linking building, which can be used as a session hall.
President ]omo Kenyatta disapproved of the original low-structure plan drawn by a government architect, David Muoka Mutiso. He sketched one himself, featuring 28 floors, and told the architect to redraft the original.Kenyatta also asked for a unique look for the top of the skyscraper, which led to the pineapple-shaped roof. Norway donated KSh80 million to construct it, using their own architect, who teamed up with the local Ministry of Public Works. The session hall was an afterthought, built after the World Bank declined to hold a meeting in the main building, since the halls were inadequate.
The World Bank agreed to finance the construction of the hall. President Kenyatta officially opened the building and the plenary session on Nov. 11, 1973, the day the World Bank conference started. The building has become Nairobi’s most imposing landmark. Until the end of the 20th century, the KICC was the tallest building in Nairobi. There was an unwritten planning requirement restricting the height of other buildings so as not to exceed that of KICC. This implicit rule is no longer in effect.

HIGH COURT OF KENYA

Taifa Road.
1930-34.
The foundation stone was laid by Sir Edward Grigg, Governor of Kenya Colony, on July 7, 1930. The High Court (formerly the Supreme Court) was formerly located in Mombasa until it was moved to Nairobi.The Secretariat of the British Government Provincial Headquarters, the Departments, and Inland Revenue were also housed here. Courtrooms and magistrates’ chambers occupied the ground floor. After independence, the Provincial HQ and the Departments moved to Old Jogoo House and this building was renamed the High Court. This structure, together with the City Hall, was part of the Grand Plan of Nairobi.

ELITE HOUSE (formerly: LIVINGSTONE HOUSE)

Kimathi St.
1928.
Elite House, (formerly known as Livingstone House), is a pioneer office building on Kimathi street, in terms of both scale and splendour. After a fire, it was reconstructed based on its original design of 1912. The building became more prominent on this street after its neighbour, the then steel-structured Mackinon House was demolished in 1979. There is a hotel (Oakwood) and a casino (Jokers Wild) operating within its premises.

KENYA NATIONAL ARCHIVES

Moi Ave.
1951.
Cobb &. Archer.
This structure originally housed the National Bank of India. The Bank, operating in Zanzibar since 1892, opened branches in Mombasa (East Africa Protectorate) in 1896, and in Nairobi in 1904. Later the Bank merged with Grindlays Bank. During 1970-78, the building was occupied by Kenya Commercial Bank. KNADS (Kenya National Archives and Documentation Services; established by an Act of Parliament in 1965) acquired this building and in the 1980s transferred services from Jogoo House. Presently, the ground floor holds African artifacts donated to the Archives by Joseph Murumbi (Kenya’s second Vice President) from his personal collection, which has been maintained with the help of Alan Donovan of African Heritage. The first floor is an archive for Kenya’s history, housing many publications on this subject.

HILTON HOTEL

Watalii St.
1969.
Hilton Hotel was the tallest building in Nairobi with 19 floors at the time of construction. Occupying the whole block in the City centre, the Hotel uses the space efficiently, enclosing the heated outdoor swimming pool on the western half.
A fire escape staircase was added externally in 1999. The architects at Planning Systems Services, Ltd. were able to build the stairs within the Hotel’s difficult requirements, for example, not obscuring windows, not disturbing hotel guests during construction and so forth.

STATUE OF DEDAN KIMATHI

Junction of Kimathi St. & Mama Ngina St
At the northern side of the Hilton Hotel, there is a statue of Dedan Kimathi (1920-57), Field Marshall. This was erected and unveiled by President Kibaki on Feb. 18, 2007, on the 50th year of the day of Kimathi’s death, to honour his role in the Mau Mau War. He fought against British colonization in Kenya in the 1950s and was convicted and executed by the British Colonial Government. This statue was sculpted by Francis Kaguru of Kenyatta University, Fine Arts Dept.

CITY HALL

City Hall Way.
1934
The City Hall was part of the Grand Nairobi Plan of the 1930s. It is the administrative headquarters for the Nairobi Municipality. Ofiices for both the political leaders and also the administrative officials of the city are housed here. It still retains its original architecture and is one of the finest buildings in Nairobi. Nairobi had a Municipal (later City) Council since the beginning of the 20th century. The first Town Hall  (1903~23) was on Station Road (afterwards Government Rd., now Moi Ave.), where Imenti House now stands. It also housed a Post Office and a Court House. Later the Town Hall was moved to Hamilton  House on Eliot Street (now Wabera St.). Nairobi attained the status of a city in 1950.

HOLY FAMILY BASILICA

Parliament Rd.
1960: consecrated on July 6, 1963.
It has a ribbed concrete patterned roof and the interior is finished with raw concrete. Lighting is through vertical slit windows.

PRES BYTERY

Kaunda St. 1924. 
Built in the Cape Dutch style, it has a simple but decorative stone finish.

LONRHO AFRICA

Standard St.
1986.
The Lonrho Africa building consists of 20 stories with offices, shops and a car park. Lonrho began operating in Africa in l909 as the London and Rhodesian Mining Company Ltd. The building was originally put up by British Tiny Rowland’s London-Rhodesia conglomerate. Ownership has since changed hands several times. It now belongs to the Kenya Commercial Bank’s pension scheme.
It is the most technically complicated structure built in Kenya, since it had to be built over two existing 1940s buildings, (one a three-storey, the other a single storey), with tenants still operating their businesses. Planning Systems Services, Ltd., who teamed up with structural engineer I. B. Patel, had to overcome many difficulties such as:
— Building three floors for parking cars on top of the existing 1940s structure.
– Erecting the office tower between the existing structures without creating new foundations under the old buildings.
– Meeting City Council Building and Planning Regulations such as plot ration, plot coverage, light angle, etc.
– Not building any columns within the existent buildings.

Tom Mboya Street

lt was formerly called Victoria Street. Railway administrators had laid this street out by the end of 1899. There were several shops, including Woods Hotel and Mr.Jeevanjee’s soda water factory . In 1902,  great fire started in Woods Hotel and burned down all the buildings along this street.
After the assassination of Tom Mboya (trade unionist and politician) along Government Road on ]uly 5, 1969, there was a lot of talk about the best way he could be commemomed. On ]uly 7, 1969, a letter by Derek Erskine was published in The Standard, urging that Government Road be renamed in honour of Tom Mboya. However, it was Victoria Street that was chosen to be renamed in Mboya’s honour.

Racecourse Road

Before the arrival of the present breeds of imported horses now seen in Nairobi, Somali ponies were used in races which have been described as “amateurish”, compared to what the races have become today. The first recorded race was in Machakos on June 22, 1897. The Machakos race was an annual event until 1900 when the horse race was moved to Nairobi. In Nairobi, the race was held in the area between the mosque on Racecourse Road and the Railway Headquarters. Later a new course was built beyond Kariokor, where the present army base is situated. However, this particular road is still called Racecourse Road.

Wakulima Market

This is the biggest fresh produce market in the capital city and one of the main sources of fruits and vegetables in the city. The market has neither water nor drainage and is in a state of neglect. Once, Musikari Kombo, the then Minister for Local Government, ordered a cleaning of the market and about 6000 rats were killed!

SINGH SABHA SIKH TEMPLE

Uyoma Street.
1963.
The present Siri Guru Singh Sabha Sikh Temple was built with many traditional elements in mind, but  with a compromised solution thought out by architect Mr. Vamos. Construction was not easy, and the temple took nearly five years to complete. The foundation stone was laid in January 1959, and the building opened officially in November 1963. The present dome was refurbished in 1982 with the shiny tiles visible now.
Initially the temple was a tent set up in 1899 by Kishen Singh and his company of railway police. In 1911, when there were only one hundred Sikhs in Nairobi, the tent was replaced by a building with a huge bronze central dome. The main object was to restore and maintain the Sikh culture. The old temple became part of the Khalsa School.

KHALSA CENTRE

Racecourse Road.
Designed by C. Rand Overy, it was originally the Khalsa Girls School. The building was constructed by Mr. Mohan Singh (one-time Deputy Mayor of Nairobi in the Colonial era) along with his brothers.

SWAMINARAYAN TEMPLE

Temple Rd. 1945.
A. Hamid; later parts by L. N. Vadgama It was built by the Asian Swaminarayan community. When the community had grown to a large size, its people decided to construct their own premises here. This was the first Swaminarayan temple outside of India. It was renovated in 1984. The temple is not immediately visible from the street, but can be accessed using the entrance of the Temple Road High School gate which is herein inset.

KENYATTA AVENUE

When it was first established in 1905, Kenyatta Ave. was originally called Sixth Ave. In 1932, following the death of Lord Delamere in 1931, the street was renamed Delamere Avenue to honour him, and his statue was erected outside the New Stanley Hotel. Lord Delamere was a pioneer white settler in Kenya——he had been granted 100,000 acres of land between Njoro and Molo River by the British Government. In the beginning, he incurred great losses while investing in various crops and livestock, but he was eventually successful in setting up Soysambu Ranch, which still exists today in Elementaita. A supporter of settlers’ rights, he was a member of the first Legislative Council. After independence, his statue was moved to his family farm in Soysambu and the street was renamed Kenyatta Avenue, after the first President of Kenya.
The avenue was the major administrative street and centre of power in Colonial Kenya, whose major buildings included the Old P.C.’s Office, Kipande House (Labour House; now KCB) and Memorial Hall (LegCo; now Bank of India). It was tarmacked in 1929. The neo-classical facades, still in existence today, followed the early 20th century trend of using the classical style, which was in vogue in the developing town.
Kenyatta Avenue is one of Nairobi’s broadest avenues with side roads along both sides. In October and November, Kenyatta Avenue becomes an area of scenic beauty as the jacaranda trees that line it come into full bloom. These days not many people know that it was originally designed to allow a 12-oxen team to make a full turn!

KIMATHI HOUSE

Kenyatta Ave. & Kimathi St.
1980
Ngotho Architects.
Kimathi House is a bold orange colour eight—storey building. The first five stories have diminishing floor spaces. The building is prominent from any angle. It has shops on the ground floor and offices on the upper floors.

WESTMINSTER HOUSE

Kenyatta Ave.
1928.
Built for Noorali Dhanji as an office building (some say as accommodation for colonial officers), Westminster House was embroiled in controversy following plans to replace it: first with a shopping/office complex in the 80s, and later in the 90s with a tall tower world trade centre. The plans were fought off by architects, historians and conservationists.
The buildings entrance is dignified and stylish, with a detailed exterior facade, and polished stone and decorative elements. The balcony extends the width of the building, with the balustrade facing Kenyatta Ave., complete with arched French doors.

SAROVA STANLEY HOTEL

Kenyatta Ave. & Kimathi St.
1913.
1932: major reconstruction (improvement to the Facade) by Hurle Barthe, Robin Cobb and Howard Archer. 1958-59: reconstruction expanded hotel to 8 floors.
1999: massive renovation by Cobb, Archer and Scammell with A. D. Gayner as partner in charge and T. N. Burrows as assistant.
This is one of the first hotels in Nairobi. It was opened in the early 20th century by Ms. Mayence Bent in the upper floor of Tommy Wood’s store on Victoria St. (now Tom Mboya St.). The building was a wood and tin shanty, sometimes referred to as Woods Hotel and sometimes as Victoria Hotel. Soon after, this small hotel expanded to include an adjacent bungalow and it came to be known as the ?rst Stanley Hotel.
After a fire in 1905, the hotel was moved to larger premises on Government Rd. (now Moi Ave.). In 1913, with her new husband Fred Tate, Mayence bought the present two corner sites and built a three-storey building with 60 rooms and named the hotel New Stanley. During WWI, the building was used as a base for British soldiers repelling German troops who had managed to enter Kenya.
The Block Family bought the hotel in 1947. In 1958, reconstruction expanded upto eight floors.
In 1978, the Sarova Group purchased the hotel and continued to run it as The New Stanley until 1999, when a major upgrade was undertaken, and the hotel reverted to its original name—The Stanley. The Sarova Group was set up in 1974 when G. S. Vohra and his partner ]ohn Kariuki bought Ambassadeur Hotel on Moi Avenue.

PANAFRIC HOUSE (formerly RHODES HOUSE)

Kenyatta Ave.
1928-1931
Originally an administrative building for one of the departments of the Colonial Government, this building was formerly known as Agriculture House and was at one time owned by the Teachers’ Service  Commission. Now the home of Family Bank (formerly Family Finance Building Society) and Pan Africa Life Assurance Ltd., it has a well polished Nairobi stone exterior.

 NYAYO HOUSE

Posta Road. 1982. Ngong’ Viegas.
This 26-storey building (including basement) has two wings: North and South. It currently houses the Nairobi Provincial Administration Office and the Ministry of Immigration. This building’s purpose was more political than functional: it was named after Moi, who was referred to as “Nyayo” (“sole of the foot” in Swahili). President Moi’s political philosophy was that Kenya would grow step by step, in terms of peace, love and unity. Its basement—infam0us as a place for torturing political dissidents and their lawyers, who dared to think differently from the Government during Moi’s regime—-has now been converted into parking spaces for 62 cars.

 OLD STANDARD BANK BUILDING (STANDARD CHARTERED BANK)

Kenyatta Ave. & Wabera St.
1930.
The Bank opened two branches in Kenya in January 1911: one at Treasury Square in Mombasa and the other on Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi. The current building was built in 1950, with the bank’s big sign  ver the columns reading “THE STANDARD BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA LIMITED”, as it was called at that time before the mergers.

GALTON-FENZI MEMORIAL MONUMENT

Kenyatta Ave, &  Koinange St.
1939.
No, despite appearances, this is not an ammunition store for urban warfare! This monument marks the pivot point of Nairobi. In fact, all distances from Nairobi are measured from this point. The monument was erected by the Royal East Africa Automobile Association in memory of Lionel Douglas Galton-Fenzi (1881-1937), the “Father of African Motoring”. He was the first man to drive from Mombasa to Nairobi in 45 hours in 1926, when the road was still a dirt track. In 1919, he founded the Nairobi branch of the Royal East Africa Automobile Association, forerunner of the Automobile Association.

NAIROBI GALLERY

Kenyatta Ave. & Uhuru Hwy.
(Access From Posta Road).
1911              
Currently called Nairobi Gallery, the building was also known as the Old P.C.’s Office (Provincial Commissioners Office) or D.C.’s Office (District Commissioners Office).
This was the Ministry of Native Affairs and Colonial Government building. It was originally intended to be part of a square of public buildings, but only one other building, the Treasury (now demolished) was built. This building later became the Nairobi Provincial Commissioner’s Office, alias “Hatches, Matches and Dispatches”, because births, marriages and deaths had to be recorded here. Later, after the P.C.’s office moved to Nyayo House, the building was used as an office for the Kenya African National Union (KANU: a political party which ruled since independence in 1963 until its electoral loss in 2002) until 1999. Currently it is owned by the National Museum of Kenya. Now, people enjoy its finely detailed decorations and its octagonal centre dome, with oval windows, a sight well worth seeing.

 KIPANDE HOUSE (KCB)

Kenyatta Ave. 64 Loira St.
1915.
Wevill anal Davies.
Kipande House, a unique building with a quirky tower, was originally built as Nayer Building by Gurjit Singh Nayer as a warehouse to serve the railway. The railway line used to pass where Loita Street is today.
Kipande House was later occupied by the colonial government and was the registration centre for Africans who worked in colonial Nairobi. The term kipande refers to a document with personal details, fingerprints and employment history, compulsory for African males. Registration was enforced by the British Colonial Government in 1919 to control the mobility of the Africans. Local men, above the age of 15, had to wear this kipande around their necks whenever moving into the legally protected area of the white men.
This enabled the Colonial Government to keep track of the African work force. The kipande law was repealed in 1949. The present re-planning and interior refurbishment was undertaken by the Triad Architects and has been the Bank’s model for their new image.

I &M BANK TOWER

Kenyatta Ave. & Muindi Mbingu St.
2001.
I&CM (Investment 86 Mortgages Bank Ltd.) Bank Tower is 82 metres high to the roof and 99 metres to the antenna. It has 18 floors and is the fifth tallest building in Nairobi. It has been constructed using a blue, heat-reflective glass cladding system.
This is the main headquarters for Investment 86 Mortgages Bank Limited. It is aerodynamically shaped to allow wind to flow smoothly around the tower, reducing turbulence and noise from the wind. Its four basement levels, 16 metres deep, with room for 150 parking spaces, made it the deepest basement structure in Nairobi at the time of completion, and it also has a rooftop conference centre.
The five-storey Gilfillan House next to I & CM Bank Tower has no basement and its foundation runs about one metre underground, whereas the I8CM’s foundation lies 16 metres below the ground and has four basement floors. This meant that during excavation of the Tower’s foundation special underpinning had to be used so as not to disturb the Gilfillan House’s foundation.
A strip of one metre around the Gilfillan House was left unexcavated. The retaining wall on this side was constructed by excavating and building the I&M edge structure in alternate panels. This way, Gilfillan House was left intact.
In the beginning, at the design stage, the designers faced problems of restricted building space and existing buildings with tenants who did not want to move. 1n 1993, a decision was made to demolish all existing structures.

BANK OF INDIA

Kenyatta Ave. & Wabera St. Before 1924
Known as Memorial Hall, this building was initially occupied by the Legislative Council, earning it the name LegCo, from 1924 until 1954. LegCo was the colonial version of the parliament, originally consisting of appointed white members and a few Asians. Currently owned by the Government of India on a 99-year lease, the building has housed the Bank of India since 1965. The unattractive facade was a later addition.

CAMEO CINEMA

Kenyatta Ave.
1912.
Before the First World War, Nairobi already had a fully equipped 350-seat theatre, which was originally called the Theatre Royal, on Delamere Avenue (now Kenyatta Ave.). At one point, it was the seat of the High Court; the Chief Justice and witnesses were accommodated on the stage.
During WWII, it became Garrison Theatre for the benefit of the troops. Along with other existing theatres in Nairobi—-the Capital, the Empire and the Princes (later renamed the Playhouse), it was later converted to a cinema. Presently, the cinema hall has maintained its looks and is a rental space used mainly by churches. The top floor houses a bar/restaurant for the young Nairobi crowd.

STANBIC BANK HOUSE

Kenyatta Ave. & Kimathi St. I928.
Originally built as Torr’s Hotel, Stanbic Bank House was financed by Major Ewart Grogan, one of Kenya’s pioneer settlers. The building was leased to Joe and Lilly Torr, who ran the hotel. The first floor lounge became the social centre of Nairobi in the 1930s; but in 1956, the building was sold to Ottoman Bank, which in turn became Grindlays Bank and later Stanbic Bank. It was the earliest red brick-clad building along three streets; its back facade has a smooth cement finish with white paint. The bricks were fired at Grogan’s own brick works.
Ewart Scott Grogan (1874-1967) was a British explorer, politician, and entrepreneur, and the first person to walk the length of Africa from Cape Town to Cairo, to prove himself to his loved one’s Father. He was known as “Kenya’s Churchill” or “Bwana Chui” (“leopard” in Kikuyu).
The Grogan area along the northern part of Kirinyaga Road is named after him. Grogan was a LegCo member for Ukambani.

CHIROMO COMPLEX

1904.
Chiromo means “the joining of two rivers”. Grogan’s first home was a tent on this site. He then built Grogan Palace, with a small hunting lodge and a guest house, which was commonly referred to as the shamba ya bwana simba—-the Lion’s Den (from Last Lion of Empire, E. Paice).
The complex was bought by McMillan, who was an ardent supporter of the Red Cross. During the years of war, many soldiers received help at Chiromo. After the war, McMillan donated it to the country, to be used in the interest of education.

Grogan Palace

Now Institute of African Studies, University of Nairobi.

Grogan Lodge

Now in Karen Blixen Coffee Garden as Grogan/McMillan Manor House). Moved brick by brick in 2008.

Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital

Muthaiga Road. 1947.
Renovations: Phase I 1970, Phase II 1978.
Architect: Cobb, Archer and Partners.
Phase I: internal improvements and conversions in old wards.
Phase II: new construction.
The Hospital was founded in 1947 with a donation by Grogan in memory of his wife Gertrude Edith who died in 1943.

WORLD WAR MEMORIAL MONUMENTS

Kenyatta Ave. & Wabera St.
The statue (1927) is that of three larger-than-life African men—two of the three are clearly Askaris, one representing the Kenya Armed Rifles and the other the Arab Rifles. The third is a member of the African Carrier Corps, from which the Kariokor area of Nairobi got its name. (Kariokor was the first housing scheme for Africans attempted by the Nairobi City Council.)
This statue commemorates the over 1 12,000 Africans who were involved in the wars and a further 200,000 Kariokors (Carrier Corps) who supported the European fighting forces. Rudyard Kipling’s words are inscribed on the statue in honour of the three types of soldiers who died in the World War:
This is to the memory of the native African troops who faught, to the Carriers who were the feet and hands of the Army, and to all other men who served and died for their King and Country in Eastern Africa in the Great War I914-I918. [f you fight for your country, even you die, your son: will remember your name.
These words are also written in Swahili and Arabic. The years “1939—1945” were later added on the pedestal, to include those who died during the WWII.
The obelisk is a memorial to the dead of the two world wars.

MOI AVENUE

Moi Avenue is one of the key streets in Nairobi, linking the Station and Norfolk Hotel. It was originally named Station Road but soon became Government Road in 1901. Lit by oil lamps, which were frequently playfully broken both by children and sometimes adults, it was Nairobi’s first business street before Delamere Ave. (Now: Kenyatta Ave.) came into being. Camel caravans driven by Somalis laden with ivory were a common sight on the tree-lined Government Road.
South of Kenyatta Ave., many buildings on Moi Ave. have been replaced by high-rise or modern buildings, while north of Kenyatta Ave. until Biashara Street, the area still maintains its original atmosphere, with each building having a full width canopy, supported by columns.
Paved in 1922. Until then, it had been the source of so many complaints, especially after rain, that some protesters even planted banana trees in the potholes to show their anger!
The British EastAfrica Protectorate’s (BEAP) office was located where Moi Avenue Primary School and the principal’s office (formerly: sub-commissioner’s office) now stand. The plaque still remains there today.

IMPERIAL CHAMBERS

Moi Ave.
I914 . R. C. Patel;
Upper story Was later added by the design of“ Harold F“ Henderson, FRIBA.
Imperial Chambers was gazette under the Antiquities and Monuments Act 2000, by the Ministry of Culture as one of the buildings with historical and cultural interest in Nairobi. It was originally built for Mr. Hasanali Rahimtulla as a one-storey building.
It is a pity that it’s columns and elegant wrought iron ornament in the front is barely visible due to the trees lining Moi Avenue.

 DIAMOND BUILDING

Moi Ave. & Tubman Rd.
Early 20th century.
A. Hamid.
The Diamond Buildingwas built by Mr. Mohammad-Ali Mamujee, who was one of the first Bohras to settle in Nairobi. He owned the Diamond Mineral Water Company.
A fine building on the street corner, its integrity was ruined by changes in the ground Floor, but its architectural style still reminds viewers of Kenya’s colonial past.

I.B.E.A. BUILDING

Moi Ave.
1919.
Believed to have been designed by Harold E. Henderson, the I.B.E.A. Building was constructed by the Imperial British East Africa Company and is believed to be the only multi-storey office building of that period still in use.
It is currently used for both commercial and residential purposes, and it has an interesting front elevation, with nicely balanced double casement windows.

 KHOJA MOSQUE (DARKHANA JAMATKHANA)

 M01 Ave. &  River Road. 1920-22
Virji Nanji Khambaita
Khambhaita, a Hindu, who came from a community of carpenters known as Gurjar Sutars. Its proper name is Darkhana Jamatkhana—Jamatkhana means “house of congregation”-—as originally, most of the rooms were simply set aside for prayer and meditation in the house of the Ismailis. It is a three-storey western-looking building, most likely because the Aga Khan of the time specifically exhorted his followers to “adopt British and European customs”.
 NATION CENTRE
Kimathi Street. 1991.
Hearing Larsen Associates of Denmark with Planning Systems Services, Ltd. of Kenya
(Trevor Andrews and Jim Archer).
A dark grey and white striped building, Nation Centre accommodates the Nation Media Group, other offices, a media centre, shops and parking facilities. Nation Media is the producer of the Daily Nation, a popular newspaper in Kenya that came into print in October 1960. The Group has print productions and television and radio broadcasts.
There is a tall colonnade at street level, topped by a block of ten floors, under two cylindrical towers of seven floors, with each tower  capped by a conical roof. In the centre of the curved facade, a red mast stands.

McMILLAN MEMORIAL LIBRARY

Banda St.Apex of Wabera St.
1928.
The library was built as a memorial to Sir William McMillan by his wife Lady Lucy, and she funded it in conjunction with the Carnegie Foundation (US). Originally the library was open to Europeans only, but in 1961, it was handed over to the City Council, who opened it to the public without discrimination against any race, tribe or religion. Its entrance lies on a straight axis ending in the Nairobi Law Courts; it is one of the few existing old buildings of the colonial European/ Classical architecture style in Kenya. The stone lions at the entrance also tell a story of Sir McMillan, the hunter.
William Northrup McMillan (1872-1925) was a philanthropist, hunter and traveler (sec also Chiromo Complex, under 30. Stanbic Bank House). Sir McMillan, an American mldier who was knighted despite not being British, arrived in Kenya in 1901 for a hunting expedition. In his massive imposing house in O1 Donyo Sabuk, he hosted US President .Theodore Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill. Bunkers, the same  as the main rooms, were built for security purposes. Sir McMillan established Juja Farm, one of the largest ranches in Kenya.

 JAMIA MOSQUE

Banda Street.
1925-33.
Opening Ceremony in 1933 held in the presence of the representative of the Sultan of Zanzibar.
Jamia Mosque Association, the earliest pan-Islamic co-operative organization, was formed in 1902 by Asian Muslims, especially the Punjabis, who came to Nairobi for the railway construction. The Association built a little Jamia Mosque at the beginning, but as the Muslim population increased, a larger mosque was needed. Shi’as and Sunnis of varying communities contributed to the building of the present Mosque, and the opening ceremony was held in the presence of a representative of the Sultan of Zanzibar.
It has always been open to all regardless of sect or creed, but the well-organized Shi’as have no real need or desire to make use of it, so the Association has served mainly the Sunnis and has now even become non-Asian.

CITY MARKET

Bet. Muindi Mbingu St. & Koinange St;
Bet. Market St. & Tubman Rd. 1930s
The City Market is a 24-hour market where vendors of vegetables, meat, flowers, traditional Kenyan crafts and souvenirs have set up shop. It is a favourite with tourists visiting Nairobi. There are rumours that the building was originally an aircraft hangar, though sources indicate that it was never used for this purpose.

KOINANGE STREET

It is named after Senior Chief Koinange wa Mbiyu (1870-1960). He was appointed Senior Chief by the British, to help them with their agenda of colonizing Africans, but he later turned against them and became a strong articulator of African grievances. A key figure in the establishment of African independent schools and the Kenya Teachers College at Githunguri, he was among the first Africans who defied the British directive restricting Africans from planting coffee in their land. Because of his de?ance, the governor at the time declared the directive invalid. He became Jomo Kenyatta’s father-in-law when Kenyatta married his daughter, Grace Mtundu. The Mau Mau movement’s origin and ideals are attributed to Chief Mbiyu. Presently, Koinange Street is a busy street. By day, businesses range from hotels, casinos, car dealerships, colleges, restaurants, shops to night clubs, but by night, it is the infamous red light district of Nairobi.
BIASHARA STREET
Formerly known as Bazaar Street, Biashara Street experienced its first major change in 1916, when, as a result of the bubonic plague, Indian shopkeepers moved away temporarily. This street was then rebuilt with proper planning. Each plot was relatively small, but each shopkeeper boldly displayed his own taste of architecture, making this street interesting. Recently, however, the atmosphere has changed, as many Chinese shopkeepers have begun to move in and take over the shop spaces.

 PREMBO HOUSE

Biashara St.
Early 1930s
The  building was designed by Kashavji Hirji, at the depth of the Depression, for Meghi Ahamed & Co. Like many of the Indian shops of that time, it housed a general store in the front and included boarding and lodging facilities to the rear and upstairs.
Biashara Street used to be the location for architectural competition among the traders, but today this building is one of the last remaining ones of that era.

JEEVANJEE GARDENS

Bet. Moi Ave. & Muindi Mbingu St.;
1904
ln 1898, Jeevanjee of Karachi (1856-1936) got the railway contract for building the Kenya-Uganda Railway and sailed to Mombasa from Punjab with his workforce of 350 men. He became very wealthy and was instrumental in the building of early Nairobi. He was also the first non-whiteto be appointed to the LegCo (established in 1905; initially to champion settlers’ interests) to represent the Indians.
The Colonial Government, with plans for a public garden, had requested Lord Delamere for a piece of land (present-day Chester House location), but he declined, as he had been planning to put up a four mill on that site. At this point, jeevanjee came to the rescue, donating his land nearthe Bazaar area. He also donated benches for the park and some more to be put around the town. Being Victorian in his habits, he also erected a statue of Queen Victoria in the Gardens in 1904, probably the only one outside of Britain, which was unveiled by the Queen’s son, the Duke of Connaught. A gazette notice of March 22, 1906 named the gardens Jeevanjee Gardens.In the late 1980s, there were plans to  convert the Gardens into a multi-storey underground car park, but public outcry, led by people like Wangari Maathai was heeded, and the park was spared. Today the park is a popular place with street preachers and sounds of evangelical hymns.

 NORFOLK HOTEL

Harry Thuku Rd. 1980
Norfolk Hotel was opened on Christmas Day in 1904 by Major C.R. Ringer and his partner R. Aylmer Winearls. It was the third hotel to open in Nairobi (a mile away from the Nairobi Railway Station) to fill accommodation needs in the fast-growing town, with the intention of sewing the upper crust. The Hotel and the Station became the main features of Nairobi, with ox-drawn carts and horse carriages transporting new arrivals and departures to and from the two points along the main street. Visitors included. Theodore Roosevelt (triggering game hunt safari trips from the US), Lord Delamere (leader of the settler community), Ernest Hemingway, etc.
In 1927, Abraham Block acquired the hotel from the East African and Ugandan Corporation, who had bought it from Ringer and Winearls in 1923. With the Norfolk Hotel as the cornerstone, he founded the Block Hotels empire. The Hotel was bombed on New Year’s Eve in 1980, but was later rebuilt in the original style.
In 1989, it changed ownership to Lonrho Hotels Kenya, and then it was acquired by IFA Hotels and Resorts. It is now managed by Fairmont Hotels 86 Resorts.

 KENYA NATIONAL THEATRE

Harry Thuku Rd. 1952
The Theatre was built in colonial times as Kenya Theatre to entertain white settlers and hotel guests such as those from Norfolk Hotel. The land was originally Lord Delamere’s.
Before independence, more progressive Kenyans started to put on performances with political overtones (then against the Colonial Government) on stage. This continued after independence, and these performers were often subjected to detention without trial on charges such as treason.
Today, the Theatre is part of the Kenya Cultural Centre. The complex consists of the main theatre building, a curvilinear building housing the management offices, the Kenya Conservatoire of Music, a gym and a restaurant. The main theatre was designed to be a multipurpose hall for pageants, plays, concerts, films, etc. It was planned when the city’s population was much smaller. It accommodates only about 480, which is rather small for a national theatre.
A bust of a popular Kenyan thespian, Wahome Mutahi (author of “Whispers”, a for- merly popular column in Sunday Nation, and the book How to be a Kenyan among others) is placed in his honour on the top floor restaurant, which is frequently used by actors and artists.

UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI

Harrv Thuku
Harry Thuku Rd. & University Way.
Originally started as the Royal Technical College in 1956, it was transformed into the Royal College of Nairobi in 1961, and renamed University College Nairobi in 1964.
It finally became University of Nairobi in 1970. It is the first national university in Kenya, and it now has six campus colleges, headed by principals.
Francis Foit, a Czech who taught art at the University for over 20 years, built a fountain named the “Fountain of Knowledge”. It was dedicated to the memory of Dr. Yajnik, Executive Officer of the Gandhi Society, a man who had been instrumental in raising funds for the University.

UHURU PARK

Uhuru Highway; Kenyatta Ave. & Haile Selassie Ave. 1970
Uhuru Park (uhuru means “freedom”, “emancipation” in Swahili) was set aside by planners for the public to use as a park and for large public gatherings. It was initially occupied by animals, such as Thomson’s gazelles, but is now a park with a boating lake, trees and a commemorative fountain. Processional Way, which runs through the Park from Haile Selassie Ave. to Kenyatta Ave.,is the venue for the Republic’s national parades.
In 1989, plans were underway to erect a 60-storey building with two smaller towers in the park which was to be the Kenya Times Complex. Kenya Times, formerly Nairobi Times, had been acquired by KANU, the then ruling party, as a party organ in 1983, and the purpose of the proposed building was to acquire the prestige of having the tallest building in Africa. Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai, the Architectural Society of Kenya, the late Dr. Ooki Ombaka, and the National Museum of Kenya made several appeals to the Government, which lead to the abandonment of the plan.

NYAYO MONUMENT in CENTRAL PARK

Uhuru Highway. 1988. Ali A. Bashir
The star -shaped granite monument was built to mark the first decade of the Nyayo era. It was commissioned by the Ministry of Public Works, who had organized an open competition attracting 66 entrants. The winner was Mr. Ali A. Bashir, the proprietor of African Planning and Design Consultants. The monument embodies the guiding principles of the Nyayo era: peace, love and unity.

 SCOT’S KIRK

State House Rd.
Built in 1910, it was re-erected in SAINT ANDREWS CHURCH grounds (a Presbyterian church) to escape demolition.
Scot’s Kirk was a Dutch Reformed Church, Duke of Gloucester whose foundation stone was laid by the Due to the expansion of the Uhuru Highway, it was decided to move the structure across the road to its current location, stone by stone. Church leaders had to approach British Liberal leader David Steel for funds to move the building. It is presently a Lutheran church.

 STATE HOUSE

State House Rd. 1907; remodelled in 1933.
Designed by Halter, completed with his assistant, Jan Hoogterp.
The State House was originally built as “Government House”, for the Governor of British East Africa. The Governor conducted his official functions at the old P.C.’s Office and retired to the Government House for the day. In 1963, after independence, it was named “State House” and is currently used as the Presidents office and guesthouse. Due to difficulties in getting a current photo, we are showing an old photo which we obtained courtesy of Mr. Pheroze
Nowrojee from his exhibition titled “Big Three Cities”.

 NAIROBI PRIMARY SCHOOL

Mamlaka Rd.
1920s
Sir .Herbert Baker
Nairobi Primary School (formerly European Nairobi School) was the first school to be established in Nairobi, and probably the first school opening its doors up-country in 1902. Originally started on a site near the Railways Club, it later shifted to a site near the United Kenya Club and then to itspresent location in Milimani, between the University of Nairobi and the State House, in 1916. The need for secondary schools arose for the senior pupils, so in the late  1920s, Nairobi School (formerly the Princeof Wales; for boys only) and Kenya High School (formerly Nairobi European Girls School) were established.
Sir Herbert Baker wrote, “The Governor and Director of Education were much concerned to provide a healthy education for the European youth under the conditions of the climate. So with their encouragement designed a school at Nairobi with a crypt as a playground  where the boys could stay at mid-day instead of going home under the vertical rays of the sun.”

STATE HOUSE GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL

State House Rd.
The State House Girls’ High School was once occupied by a European hospital. In 1954, the hospital moved and became the present-day Nairobi Hospital. The New Girls’ Secondary School then took over the part of the building. The rest of the old hospital was occupied by the European Dispensary for some time, The school, after splitting and reorganizing, (including being co-ed for two years),
became Delamere Girls’ School in 1958, In 1967, it assumed the name of State House Girls’ High School, It has been a fully-subsidized government school since 1973. The school used to accept Europeans girls only, but in 1962, opened its doors to students and teachers of all races,

IKO TOILET

Iko Toilet (“iko” is a corrupted version of eco) is a project of eco-friendly toilets initiated by a Nairobi architect, Mr. David Kuria. In these toilets, urine is collected in tanks and processed into urea as an alternative For farmers to used for top-dressing crops. The usual fertilizer—calcium ammonium nitrate—is unaffordable by most farmers. These structures also house businesses like shoe shining and kiosks, and they have even installed music systems, As a result of such innovations, this project has been recognized in the Hall of Fame of Sanitation. You can find Iko toilets onAga Khan Walk, near Electricity House; on Moi Ave. beside the National Archives; on Tom Mboya St-, across from the Fire Station, just to name a few.

ALL SAINTS CATHEDRAL

Kenyatta Ave.
1917-52.
Temple Moore;
Like most Anglican cathedrals, the All Saints Cathedral was completed in four phases. The foundation stone, in each phase, was laid by the Governor of that time. The twin towers above the transept are unique: the North Tower, built between 1922-24, houses eight bells, while the South Tower houses an organ made of about 1900 pieces. Another unique feature is the hammer-beam roof, consisting of steel girders encased in cedar. The roof spans 16 metres (53 feet) above the chancel, making the chancel and the nave look wide. Most of the stained glass was designed by A.  Davis, a famous British stained glass designer. A rose window is visible on the east wall. The nave contains pews commemorating soldiers who died in the two World Wars. The cathedral also houses many artefacts, including stones taken from cathedrals outside Africa, crosses and clothes.

DELAMERE FLATS APARTMENTS

Milimani Road.
Designed in 1938-39; built in 1947 – 51.
Ernst May’s first larger housing project in Africa, the Delamere Flats Apartments, was a housing complex for middle-income Europeans in Nairobi.
The buildings—planned before WWII and built afterwards—are laid out in efficient, parallel rows. The nine apartment blocks are built with reinforced concrete, each apartment outfitted with a version of a standardized Frankfurt kitchen, and they have the fully enclosed plumbing system in East Africa.
GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
Valley Road.
1953
The church was built as a private chapel to serve all the Orthodox faithful, who at that time came from Serbia, Russia, Egypt and other non-African countries. (It was later opened to Africans). The roof is  raised higher over the nave than over the side aisles so that the walls resting on the columns could be pierced with windows. Traditionally, in an Orthodox Church, more attention is paid to the adornment of the church’s interior than to the exterior.
This church building follows the Byzantine Church plans, which incorporate domes. More specifically, the church is designed according to the “cross-in-square plan”, whereby the first level of the church is cubical, and the second floor is cruciform, with the dome resting on a cylinder at the intersection of the arms of the cross, and smaller domes or vaults, cover the four corners of the cube. The interior walls are covered with paintings, and there is a celestial space overhead in the dome, where a likeness of Christ is painted, looking down on the whole church.
The Nairobi Orthodox Church is part of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa. St. Mark the Evangelist is regarded as the founder of this church.

RAHIMTULLA TOWER

Upper Hill Road
2000.
This building, topped with a mast 30 metres in height for TV and radio communication, looks like the tallest building in Nairobi due to Upper Hill’s relatively higher elevation. It is an office building with 22 floors and three floors for parking below. The key considerations for its design were low maintenance and low overheads that would attract serious long-term tenants. The structure consists of a reinforced concrete frame, tinted glass windows in aluminium frames, and white glazed ceramic grille tiles on the east and west elevations to provide shade. The tiles, which were meant to reduce heat levels from sunrays,were removed in the ?rst halfof201O after some began to fall off.
Other RAHIMTULLA related buildings:

RAHIMTULLA TRUST LIBRARY

Mfango St.
1950; opened in 1953
Bhalla and Thakore.
The “Rahimtulla” buildings owe their names to the late Mr. Ismail Rahimtulla, who left a charitable trust (formed in 1940) not only to invest, but also to promote and encourage the development of institutions with community and charity oriented aims. He bequeathed funds for the betterment of mankind, especially in the areas of health and education. His will included a wish for a public Indian library.
Thus the ground floor of this library building houses an Indian library and a reading area, which is turned into a church on Sundays. The top floor is a hall that can be rented for conferences and other events.
RAHIMTULLA MUSEUM OF MODERN ART (RAMOMA) Second Parklands Ave
The museum was initially housed in the Rahimtulla Tower, where it opened its doors in 2001. It later moved to the Parklands area to a two-storey building, but retained the name of the philanthropist. The gallery space at Rahimtulla Tower had been provided free of charge by the Rahimtulla Trust. The two storey building on Second Parklands Ave. was purchased for the museum by Valdor Trust, who paid for both the building and its renovation. The museum has six separate galleries and a sculpture garden. Operations in this building started in March 2008.

GEMINIA INSURANCE PLAZA

Mara Rd. & Kilimanjaro Ave.
October 2008.
Sandeep Singh Rehal, Studio Infinity
Architects
This building has a very unique shape. It is said that the architect had Atlas Shrugged, a book by Russian writer Ayn Rand, in mind. The architect was inspired by the tectonic forces associated with “Atlas” (Greek mythological character) as he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The steel structure is used to support the cladding to create the highly slanted planes. The building hosts Geminia Insurance and other tenants.

COCA COLA BUILDING

Kilimanjaro Ave, 84 Mara Rd.
2008. (SAPP, South Africa:
Triad Architects, Kenya.
Coca-Cola Company’s regional headquarters for East and Central Africa, this building serves as the firm’s base of operations for more than 27 countries. The building boasts many “green” features, such as solar heating, rainwater harvesting, power conservation devices and a green roof garden that minimizes the heat gain from the roof, in addition to serving as a recreational space. There is a large auditorium that seats 200 people, a gym, a staff‘ canteen and extensive external
Coca-Cola started operations in Kenya in 1948, in Nairobi, on a plot measuring just a quarter of an acre. As the popularity of the drink grew, new brands were introduced.

ZEP-RE PLACE

Longonot Rd. 2005.
This ultra-modern 11-storey building is the headquarters of the Preferential Trade Area Reinsurance Company. Its name, “Zep-Re”, comes from the French translation of the company’s name Zone d’Echange Preferentiel.
The company was created by members of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in 1990. The Nairobi office was established in 1993. The building also houses a number of corporate tenants besides Zep-Re.

VICTORIA TOWERS

Kilimanjaro Ave. & Kenya Rd.
2000.
Simon Nzioka of Mutiso Menezes International.
The shape of the tower represents canoes used on Lake Victoria, since the bank was originally established in Kisumu. The blue colour of the glass stands for the reflection of Lake Victoria’s water. This is a commercial office building with Victoria Commercial Bank, Ltd. and some shops on the ground floor.

CITIBANK

Upper Hill Road.
1998.
On a steeply sloping site, the architects fulfilled Citibank’s request to have a simple building, namely, “a box with no columns”.
The bank’s policy of open-plan working areas, as well as its efforts to incorporate the spirit of “an imaginative expression of being African”, and its endeavour to be eco-friendly are all achieved in this high-quality building.
Water-cooled draft of air and large fans for ventilation avoided the need for expensive air conditioning system.

KENYATTA NATIONAL HOSPITAL

Hospital Road.
The hospital was founded in 1901 as the Native Civil Hospital, with bed facilities to serve white settlers. Later it served the Asian and African communities, while Europeans were served in the nearby Nairobi Hospital.
It was renamed King George VI Hospital in 1952 and got its present name after independence in 1963. Its grounds now cover 45.7 hectares. It is the biggest referral, research and teaching hospital in Kenya with a bed capacity of 1800 and over 6000 staff members. It became a parastatal hospital in 1987. The University of Nairobi’s College of Health Sciences, the Kenya Medical Training College, Kenya Medical Research Institute, and National Laboratory Service (Ministry of Health) are located on this site, too.

NAIROBI CLUB

Established in 1901, it is the second oldest social club in Kenya after Mombasa Club,which was founded in 1896. In the beginning, membership was restricted to British residents in East Africa, predominantly officials and railway stafF. Now it is a privately ,owned members’ club.

NAIROBI HOSPITAL

Argwings Kodhek Rd.
1954.
The Kenya European Hospital Association was formed in 1950 to improve medical services for Europeans, especially after WWII when King George VI Hospital (now Kenyatta National Hospital) could not accommodate them properly. The Association purchased the Maia Carberry Nursing Home (now Kenya School of Law) and converted it to a men’s hospital. In 1952, they built the Princess Elizabeth Hospital (now Univ. of Nairobi, Dental School) for the women. In the same year, the Association bought the Old Polo Grounds and built the present hospital, which was officially opened in 1954 as the European Hospital. In 1961, the board agreed to drop the European orientation and open it to all races both for patients and employees, including the medical and nursing staff. Dr. Njoroge Mungai, a one time Member of Parliament for Westlands and then Minister for Health, renamed it Nairobi Hospital. A few years later, both the men’s and women’s hospitals had to be sold after independence due to the Governments financial difficulties.
In 1974, the North Wing (dubbed “Hilton on the Hill”) was opened for the aging Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and his entourage. There are six self-contained deluxe rooms with access to garden or a balcony.