- There are over 200 national monuments which include buildings, cemeteries, cultural groves, landscapes and archaeological locations.
- Each of the national monuments holds and perpetuates a unique story.
Image: ENOS TECHE
The government has declared seven structures it has considered to be of historic interest as national monuments.
In a gazette notice dated October 29, Culture and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed declared former railways staff quarters along Ojijo Road, Parklands, Nairobi as a national monument.
The area, formally known as Junior European staff quarters, is approximately 0.48 acres.
Also declared a national monument is ACK Kamathanga Church within Chaani sublocation, Mua Hills, Machakos town constituency.
House of Habib Swaleh Bin Alwi Jamal Al-Layl also known as `Nyumba ya Habib Swatch' measuring approximately 12 meters by nine meters on 0.027 acres in Riyadha/Langoni in Lamu town is a national monument.
Others are: The 16th century Ngomeni Shipwreck measuring approximately 20 meters by 41 meters and lying under water at a depth of seven to ten meters in Ngomeni Bay, Ngonteni village in Gongoni Ward, Kilifi county.
The Nairobi Railway Museum building on 20.5 acres, Ref.FR 383/53 and L.R. No. 209/13727 on Station Road, Nairobi Central ward, within Starehe subcounty, Nairobi.
Namortung'a Site, measuring approximately 16.19 acres, in Namakuse sublocation, Central Kalokol division of Turkana.
The Granary of Iralaytt Ethnic Group measuring approximately two meters by two meters within Thuti sublocation, Othaya in Nyeri.
CS Mohamed has designated areas where the artefacts are located as protected areas.
The National Museums and Heritage Act of 2006 gives the CS powers to protect and preserve monuments, of which historic buildings are a part.
A national monument, as defined by the Constitution, is a place or immovable structure of any age which is of public interest by reason of historic, architectural, traditional, artistic or archaeological wonder attached to it.
Currently, there are over 200 national monuments which include buildings, cemeteries, cultural groves, landscapes and archaeological locations.
Each of the national monuments holds and perpetuates a unique story. A lot of effort is taken to preserve the sites in their original state so that future generations can understand the story of these places.
Restoration, protection and maintenance of the sites will now be vested upon the state.
Kenya has significant archaeological assets and is a long standing leader in Africa in the discovery of fascinating sites in the pre-history of man.
Although little-known, the varied archaeological sites in Kenya hold essential information on human evolution.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)