An old building in Murang’a town which hosted colonial administrators is set to be converted into a museum.
National Museums of Kenya will spend Sh4 million to rehabilitate the building constructed in 1900 as an office for colonial administrators who manned central region.
The Museum’s officer In- charge of Culture and Heritage in Murang’a county Antony Maina said the building, which has been neglected for long time will be used as an artifacts gallery and photographic exhibition where the history makers from Murang’a and neighbouring counties will be portrayed.
Speaking to KNA Saturday, Maina observed that the house has been reclaimed from some individuals who had grabbed it and rehabilitation works will commence in July.
After construction of the four-roomed house in 1900, the then British district commissioner occupied it before it was turned into office of the central provincial commissioner.
“The building was gazetted as a national monument on 10th December 2012 due to its age and landmark linking to the gradual colonial administrative advancement into the interior of Kenya,” he added.
Maina said the museums will help in documenting and storing history from the local community, adding that the facility will boost local tourism.
“Murang’a County is endowed with rich history which is not known by many people but the proposed Museum will be very resourceful especially to young generation in educating them on the history of the area,” noted the museums official.
He stated that the national museums will be targeting young people not only from central region but the country at large to show them the significance of nationalism through artifacts and historical photographs.
“Our objective is to restore the building and put up an exhibition illustrating the history of the local communities before and after colonial rule so as to promote legacy of Mount Kenya culture for posterity and enhance national and international integration and develop a center of tourism,” explained the officer.
He said there are other colonial building in Murang’a town which were grabbed noting that the National Museums assisted by other relevant authorities will work on how to reclaim them.
“Central region have many cultural sites which need to be identified and preserved for future generations and the national museums is working to gazette all historical sites in central region,” stated Maina.
In Murang’a County there are more than seven historical and cultural sites but only two are gazetted including Mukurwe wa nyagathanga and the colonial provincial commissioner’s office.
By Bernard Munyao
