State to renovate 1900 colonial building in Murang'a

The national government is set to renovate and preserve the only remaining colonial administrative block in Murang’a town.

The building that currently hosts the county museums office was constructed in September 1900 by white governor Francis Hall.

Hall arrived in the country in 1892 and was among the first settlers in the country. He was then sent to Fort Smith in Kabete that was manned by Commissioner Smith where he stayed for seven years.

But Hall’s objective was not to explore like his counterparts but to find a favourable place to settle after having a tumultuous life.

In Kabete, Hall would venture into the fertile Central region and Murang’a caught his eye, and he sent a letter to his father back in England describing it as an area endowed with rivers and friendly locals.

Its rivers, he said, were breathtaking and teeming with fish and the inhabitants were friendlier than the ones in Kabete.

Hall hoisted his flag to ward off radical settlers before applying to his commissioner to deploy him to the area.

Hall was accompanied by 300 Swahili porters when he relocated to Mbiri in 1900 and they settled at Mjini informal settlements near Murang’a town and proceeded to build the oldest mosque in the region.

He then set out to establish a fort on a hill that was constructed using mud and locally dug concrete, and roofed using grass.

After only six months of his rule, Hall suffered from Malaria and died in March 1901. The station was christened Fort Hall just three months later in his honour and was later occupied by the Kenya Wildlife Service after independence until 1996.

Hall’s administration covered the Kenya district from the Kenya-Tanzania border all the way to the entire Mt Kenya region.

The fort was used by the British colonisers to gain access and take control of the wider Mt Kenya region.

Neglect however led to deterioration of the building and it was saved by the Museums department before moving its offices there.

It still has the cells where criminals were detained during the colonial rule.

County Museums curator Anthony Maina said the department is sourcing for Sh3 million to renovate the building.

The renovation will include stocking it with relevant historical materials for preservation of the rich cultural, social and political heritage of the central region.

“After it is renovated, the building will exhibit artefacts, photographs and historical documents that will preserve the rich colonial history,” Maina said.

The building, Maina said, is the only colonial one still standing in Murang’a and will be preserved as a testimony of its heritage.

“One of the highlights of the museum is Francis Hall’s office, meticulously intact in its original state. In this monument you get to experience the ambience of a bygone era,” Maina said.

It was gazetted as a national monument in 2012, he noted, and has survived the rest due to its outstanding architectural design.

But he noted that the Museums department has been unable to market it because it has not been as captivating in its current state.

After the renovation is done, the building will now have traditional tools and handicrafts used during the colonial era.

It will also display photos of African chiefs such as Karuri wa Gakure, Waiyaki Wa Hinga and the controversial Wangu wa Makeri, the first woman colonial chief.

 “It will offer a glimpse into the events that shaped Murang’a town’s identity and its historical and cultural evolution.”

Maina said they are reaching out to various stakeholders, including the national and county government, to help in renovating and equipping the museum with the relevant historical artefacts.