For decades, the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) has defined Nairobi’s skyline—a bold, cylindrical tower rising above the city.
It is instantly recognisable to anyone who has walked through the capital but many Kenyans do not know the story behind the iconic building.
The late David Mutiso is the pioneering architect who helped design the landmark and whose influence quietly shaped Kenya’s architectural identity.
Mutiso’s death at 93, confirmed on December 2, 2025, by the Association of Professional Societies in East Africa (APSEA), closed a defining chapter in the evolution of Kenya’s built environment.
"We mourn the passing of Arch. David Mutiso, Kenya's first indigenous architect, former Chairman of the Association of Professional Societies in East Africa (1975–1977), and a distinguished member of the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK)," APSEA said in its statement.
Though KICC remains his most famous creation, the story of its design is as compelling as the structure itself filled with cultural symbolism, political involvement, and even humorous myth.
The KICC project emerged in the late 1960s from Kenya’s ambition to position Nairobi as a regional hub for international diplomacy and high-level global conferences.
Commissioned in 1967, barely four years after independence, the building represented a new nation eager to claim its place on the world stage.
Construction unfolded in phases over several years.
By its official opening in 1973, the KICC had already proved its worth, hosting major international gatherings such as the 1973 IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings.
It quickly became a symbol of Kenya’s modernity and confidence.
The architectural authorship is shared between Norwegian architect Karl Henrik Nøstvik and Mutiso.
Mutiso, then Chief Architect at the Ministry of Works, played a central role in shaping the project’s early concept to reflect Kenya’s identity.
Traditional African forms particularly the circular shape of huts and the contours of drums, inspired the design of KICC.
These influences are evident in the tower’s smooth cylindrical profile and the amphitheatre’s dome.
But Mutiso also shared a humorous anecdote that has since become part of the building’s folklore.
He once joked that the phallic shape of the tower was inspired by a donkey’s erect anatomy.
Though clearly told in jest, the story took on a life of its own and remains one of the most retold myths about KICC.
The mix of culture, creativity, and playful humour reflected a man deeply rooted in his heritage, yet open to unconventional inspiration.
KICC’s evolution was also shaped by close political involvement.
In 1968, KANU Secretary General Tom Mboya asked Mutiso to design the party’s new headquarters.
That modest four-storey proposal gradually expanded—literally—into a 32-storey tower with regular input from the Founding Father Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.
Mutiso captured this process vividly in a past interview with Citizen TV.
“President Kenyatta wanted something personal. He said, ‘It is you; you will be coming to me for instructions.’ So we started sketching. It was a very simple design at first, because it was a four-storey building,” he said.
“It evolved as we went along. Every time we showed Mr Kenyatta, he would ask, ‘What if you make it higher?’”
Working alongside Nøstvik, Mutiso transformed a modest concept into a bold architectural statement—one that continues to dominate Nairobi’s skyline.
Born on July 10, 1932, Mutiso grew up in Manyatta and Mwala before joining Alliance High School.
His love for architecture sparked unexpectedly when he saw building plans being burned at his uncle’s workplace—and realised they bore the signature of a mysterious professional known as an architect.
The moment ignited a fascination that would shape his life.
Despite encouragement from his principal, he faced doubts from established architects who questioned whether African designers could secure clients.
But Mutiso pushed forward.
After high school, he pursued a Bachelor of Science at Makerere University and worked as a draftsman at the Nairobi City Council, studying architecture in the evenings.
A full scholarship sent him to the University of Sheffield in 1954, where he graduated in 1959.
He completed apprenticeships with J. Womersley in Sheffield, Professor Quaroni in Italy, and Richard Hughes in Kenya before returning home to apply his expertise in an evolving nation.
In 1963, Mutiso joined the Ministry of Public Works and in 1967 became Kenya’s first African Chief Architect.
He held significant roles in the architectural fraternity—founder-member of the Architectural Association of Kenya in 1967, its first African president (1972–1973), chairman of the Kenya Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors (1965–1974), and member of the RIBA and the National Housing Corporation.
His government career ended abruptly in 1973 after accusations of corruption related to a foreign trip—claims that he consistently rejected.
He resigned but took the moment as an opportunity to chart a new path.
In 1974, he co-founded MutisoMenezes International, a firm that became a training ground for young architects and produced some of Kenya’s most notable building designs in the decades that followed.
His portfolio demonstrated remarkable range and sensitivity—structures rooted in place, culture, and landscape.
The Architectural Association of Kenya captured his contributions succinctly, calling him “a disciplined architect whose life is inseparable from the story of Kenya’s modern built environment.”
While KICC remains the most visible symbol of his genius, perhaps Mutiso’s greatest legacy lies in the generation of architects he trained and inspired.
Many of Kenya’s leading designers trace their roots to his mentorship.
