Govt to Relocate National Archives from Nairobi CBD to Make It More Accessible: "safeguard Assets"
- Nairobi’s iconic Kenya National Archives has been set for relocation after decades of serving as a city landmark and favourite meeting spot
- Government officials confirmed the decision, saying the move aimed to protect priceless collections and improve facilities for researchers
- The announcement came shortly after Britain handed over 300,000 digitised colonial files, a milestone in Kenya’s effort to reclaim its history
- Security fears, exposed during recent Gen Z-led protests when protesters targeted the building, pushed the government to fast-track the plan
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Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
For decades, the Kenya National Archives has stood at the busy junction of Moi Avenue and Mama Ngina Street, serving both as a landmark and a favourite meeting point.
Source: Getty Images
To many, it has been more than a building, a heritage centre, a memory keeper, and one of the capital’s most recognisable symbols.
Why will Kenya National Archives be moved?
But this could soon change, the government has confirmed plans to relocate the archives from the city centre to a safer, quieter, and more accessible location.
Speaking on Thursday, August 21, Culture and Heritage Principal Secretary Ummi Bashir said the move is aimed at safeguarding valuable collections while also improving conditions for researchers.
"We would like to see how we can safeguard our assets in this building and how we can take it to a place where the researchers can have an environment that they can produce content, do research and even for doctorate researchers who come here to be comfortable," Bashir said.
The confirmation of the move came as Kenya made a major breakthrough in its efforts to reclaim its colonial history.
This is after the United Kingdom handed over more than 300,000 digitised files once classified and kept secret during the colonial era.
The files, which cover sensitive periods of the country’s past, include details of resistance movements, land policies, and records of British intelligence operations in Kenya.
For historians, researchers, and ordinary Kenyans, the release of these documents marks a new chapter in understanding the country’s struggle for independence and the legacy of colonial rule.
The handover places Kenya among the first African nations to receive such a comprehensive repatriation of archives from Britain.
The announcement comes in the wake of rising security concerns in the central business district.
What fast-tracked plans to move Kenya National Archives?
The recent Gen Z-led protests exposed vulnerabilities when demonstrators attempted to torch the archives building, prompting government officials to fast-track relocation plans.
Culture, Arts and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Hanna Cheptumo said the government is prioritising both safety and accessibility in the proposed move.
"In terms of moving, yes, that is a process and we are not moving because of anything, just to ensure that we have a bigger and a better place where we can all access, where there is parking, there is no noise," Cheptumo explained.
The relocation plan is also expected to address long-standing challenges associated with the current site.
Cheptumo highlighted some of the issues necessitating the move such as the city centre location having limited parking, high traffic congestion, and constant noise from surrounding businesses and commuters.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
