President William Ruto on Saturday provided a rare glimpse into the ongoing renovations of the iconic Nairobi State House.
Hosting Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, Ruto showcased the transformed residence, which is adopting a bold new flat-roof design, a departure from the old red roofing design which has long defined its architecture.
In some of the photos shared from State House during the reception of President Embaló, the building now features a more modern aesthetic, with only one dormer atop the front part of the building.
The previous design had two dormers; one displaying both the presidential standard and the East Africa Community (EAC) flag while the other the Kenyan flag, rising above the roof line.
Constructed by a Chinese contractor, the renovations are part of an effort to modernise the nearly century-old structure.
The works commenced in December 2023 and are set to be completed in the next few months, according to sources privy about it.
The building, originally designed and built in 1907 by British architect Herbert Baker, was known as Government House.
It served as the official residence of Sir Edward Gregg, the then-governor of Kenya during the colonial era.
After independence, it was renamed State House to serve as the official residence for the head of state.
The building has not undergone any major renovation since then raising concerns about its structural stability forcing the president to order for a facelift.
When he assumed office, some minor improvements were made to the residence, including a fresh coat of paint.
The changes also saw the demolition of the old wooden-made state pavilion facing the main building and replacement with a new one which Ruto has been using to conduct both private and official meetings.
The premise's front courtyard which had an asphalt surface was also patched out and fitted with grey cabros.
In the 2024/25 Financial Year, the initial amount set for the renovation of Nairobi State House was Sh195 million but was revised upwards by Sh600 million in the mini-budget.
This is to gather for the construction of new structures which are also currently ongoing.
Nairobi State House stands on a 3-square-kilometre (300 ha; 740-acre) piece of land.
