Historical monuments in the country serve as a way to remember and appreciate past events and great People who played a crucial role in attaining the country’s independence. Each monument has a story behind it that will take you back into the past with lots of history.
Historical Monuments in Nairobi and Locations
Uhuru Gardens Monument
Uhuru Gardens, Kenya’s largest memorial park, is located on Langata Road, a 15-minute drive from the city centre of Nairobi. ‘Uhuru’ is a Swahili word for freedom. The gardens were officially designated as a National Monument in 1966 due to their historical significance. Uhuru Gardens hosted Kenya’s independence celebrations in 1963 and is home to two national treasures: a mugumo tree planted where the Union Jack was lowered and Kenya’s flag was raised, and the 100-foot Uhuru Monument designed by Hamid Mughal.
The sculpture depicts a man standing in front of the Kenya Court of Arms, ready to “protect our interests and resources.” The monument’s centrepiece is a pair of white marble palms embracing a heart with a dove on top, symbolising the Nyayo philosophy of “Peace, Love, and Unity.” The fourth monument depicts people raising the flag to symbolise the Harambee spirit.
Dedan Kimathi Statue
Dedan Kimathi (1920–1957) was the senior spiritual leader of the Mau Mau rebels involved in the Mau Mau uprising under British colonial rule. To honour the late President Kibaki’s legacy, a 2.1-metre bronze statue titled “Freedom Fighters Dedan Kimathi” was installed on a graphite plinth.
Kimathi, who embodied the Mau Mau resistance, sacrifice and commitment to nationalist ideals, is holding a rifle in his right hand and a dagger in his left. Sculptors from the Kenyatta University School of Fine Art created the statue. Kimathi is depicted in iconic military attire, clutching a dagger in his left hand and a rifle in his right, representing the final weapons he possessed before his capture.
The statue is located at the junction of Kimathi Street and Mama Ngina Street.
Tom Mboya Statue
Tom Mboya is the second statue to be designated as a national treasure, following that of freedom fighter Dedan Kimathi, in 2007. The late President Mwai Kibaki unveiled it on the eve of Mashujaa Day, October 2011, as a tribute to Mboya’s “remarkable contributions” to this country, as well as to “honour the departed hero and remind the nation of who he was” and “what he stood for.”
He was assassinated on July 5, 1969, as he stepped out of Channa’s Chemist, just a few metres from where his statue stands. The three-year effort of self-taught sculptor Oshoto Ondula depicts Mboya in flowing Ghanaian kente robes, a gift from President Kwame Nkrumah, which he wore during his campaigns for Nairobi Constituency (now Kamukunji) in the 1960 General Election.
His right hand is stretched to represent a leader reaching out to his people rather than looking down at them. The statue stands on what symbolises Rusinga Island, where he was buried. The fountain and flamingoes under the statue represent the planes used by Kenyan students in the now-famous Mboya-led Airlift Africa educational project, which allowed Kenyan students to study on scholarships at American universities in the late 1950s and 1960s.
War Memorial Monument
Between July 1914 and November 1918, historical records show that over 60,000 soldiers from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania were recruited to fight in World War I. Many soldiers did not return home because they died fighting for the British monarchy. The colonial government erected the War Memorial Monument in 1928 to honour the Kings African Rifles and Carrier Corps who served during the war.
Nyayo Monument(s)
The Nyayo Monument in Central Park was built to commemorate former President Moi’s 10-year rule in 1988, as well as 25 years of independence.
The Nyayo monument serves as a memorial backdrop for photo sessions, as well as a reminder of the Moi administration.
The Nyayo Fountain in Uhuru Park was another Nyayo monument, with Kenyatta’s fly-whisk crisscrossing Moi’s fimbo to blend their two eras. Others were erected in all major towns across Kenya, prominently featuring President Moi’s ubiquitous “fimbo ya nyayo” and Kanu’s single-finger salute, as well as two goblets resembling his rungu along the Malindi-Mombasa Road.
The Naked Boy Statue
The Naked Boy of Justice Monument is known by many other names, and it has an interesting history. This monument was built in memory of Alexander George Hamilton, a colonial-era lawyer who died in 1937. His wife commissioned the monument, which is located just outside Kenya’s Supreme Court.
The Naked Boy of Justice was originally known as the Hamilton Fountain, but it is also known as Otieno, a male name from the fishing community of Luos, one of Kenya’s most famous tribes. This is the third monument; the first was lost at sea and the second was stolen.
The original was replaced by the Naked Blind Boy, who wore a wig and peed into a fountain while clutching a fish, depicting Justice as naked, blind and slippery as a fish.
Jomo Kenyatta Statue, KICC
James Butler, an 80-year-old British sculptor, was tasked with creating statues of Her Majesty the Queen Mother and King Richard III, among other projects. His life changed in 1969 when he was commissioned to create the double-life-size, 12-foot, seated statue of President Jomo Kenyatta.
The cast bronze statue was shipped from England to Mombasa by container and then trucked to Nairobi. It was unveiled in 1973 (when KICC opened) to commemorate ten years of independence.
Mau-Mau Monument
The Mau Mau monument was used to symbolise reconciliation following independence. It recognised how the British government treated freedom fighters and was also used to honour all those who contributed to Kenya’s independence struggle.
Peace, Love and Unity
The monument is located in Uhuru Park and is used to represent peace, love, and unity, as a rallying cry for Kenyans to work together for prosperity and posterity.
Galzon-Fenzi Memorial
It was built in 1939 in memory of Galton Paul Fenzi, who founded the East African Automobile Association and designed Kenya’s road system. It is also known as the Nairobi Milliary Stone because it was used to measure distances between Nairobi and other parts of the country.
It is situated at the intersection of Kenyatta Avenue and Koinange Street. The monument now resembles a grilled tomb.
World War Memorial Statues and Pillars
These are placed opposite each other on Kenyatta Avenue in memory of “native troops” and “our glorious dead” who died during both World Wars. They were built after 1918 and re-erected in 1945. One of the statues on the far left is known as Kapombe Ngumbao.
Ronald Ngala Statue
The statue of Kenyan independence hero, pan-Africanist and former Cabinet Minister, the late Ronald Gideon Ngala, is located on Ronald Ngala Street in Nairobi’s downtown. Ngala was a member of the political group of the African-educated elite, which established a new political tradition in Kenya’s nationalist struggle to counter imperialism and colonialism.
This created the conditions within which independence was handed over to the African majority. Ngala was also elected leader of the Kenya African Democratic Union (KADU) at a meeting of leaders of small parties, which represented the minority tribes, in Ngong on June 25, 1960.
Ronald Ngala was made Minister of Cooperatives and Social Services in the Kenyatta government, where he remained active in politics until he died in a road accident in 1972. He left behind his wife, Esther Ngala and several children, including Noah Katana Ngala.
Nairobi is home to numerous historical monuments that serve as powerful reminders of Kenya’s journey to independence and the heroes who sacrificed for the nation’s freedom. From the Uhuru Gardens Monument commemorating the 1963 independence celebrations to the statues honouring icons like Dedan Kimathi, Tom Mboya, and Ronald Ngala, these sites offer a glimpse into the country’s rich history and the struggles endured to achieve liberty.
The monuments also celebrate Kenya’s unity, with symbols like the Nyayo Monument representing the blending of leadership eras and the Peace, Love and Unity sculpture rallying citizens to work together for prosperity. Visiting these landmarks provides an opportunity to reflect on the nation’s past while inspiring continued efforts towards progress and national unity.