Nairobi, the green city in the sun, has developed over the years and is currently recognized as a regional hub for various industrial functions.
Despite the development witnessed in sections of the city, some buildings with history dating back to early independent years still define Nairobi’s landscape.
The buildings, among them the Kenya National Archives, Afya Center, and Ambassaduer, have remained to be key landmarks for city dwellers and newbies coming to the city for the first time.
Interestingly, the landmarks have one aspect in common, that they had their glory days as Nairobi’s most magnificent buildings as explained in this story.
Afya Center
The Afya Center needs no introduction for city dwellers or many who have been to Nairobi.
The 21-storeyed building, light green in color and located along Tom Mboya Street, still defines the skyline of downtown Nairobi to date.
In recent years, Afya Center has earned a prominent place among Kenyans as a common meeting point for people.
For Nairobi residents hailing from Western Kenya and Nyanza regions, the building is also a landmark for bus terminus of vehicles traveling to upcountry.
Despite some reports linking it to the Ministry of Health, the building is owned by a savings group known as the Afya Sacco Society.
Afya Sacco, founded in 1971, is a democratic, self-help financial institution with interests in areas including real estate, banking, and a host of microfinance services.
It started with 20 members at its foundation but has since grown in membership and has over 38,000 members so far.
Today, the iconic building hosts businesses including clinics, restaurants, and financial institutions.
Ambassadeur
Few meters from the Afya Center sits the iconic Ambassadeur Hotel which has lately turned to be a pickup and dropping point for matatus plying different routes in the city.
With a unique grey color and its height dwarfing several other buildings, Ambassadeur is a notable landmark known for its accommodation spaces, shops, and other amenities.
The hotel was launched in 1961 under the ownership of former Kirinyaga politician John Ngata Kariuki and businessman Gurcharan Singh.
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In the early post-independence years, Ambassadeur boasted a special status as one of the most prestigious hotels in the city and even hosted high-profile meetings including by the then President Jomo Kenyatta.
In 2004, the hotel was sold to Samuel Maina, a businessman with vast interests in Murang’a and Nairobi.
But the hotel has gradually lost its attractiveness owing to factors including influx of matatus and hawkers.
However, it has plenty of accommodation rooms inside and still flies East African countries flags like the international center it was decades ago.
Archives
Besides Afya Center and Ambassadeur, the National Archives building is also famous and a common meeting point for Kenyans in Nairobi.
The building, with a unique architectural design was constructed in the 1930s and played host to financial institutions including the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB).
Former Environment Minister John Michuki was the one who led KCB out of the premises after overseeing construction of the famous KenCom House opposite Archives.
Currently, the Kenya National Archives and Documentation Service is the custodian of the building.
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Beyond just a landmark and a meeting point for city dwellers as many see it, Archives houses old public records including notes and letters written by former government officials including former President Jomo Kenyatta.
Former Vice President Joseph Murumbi also donated loads of documents to the archives that serve as point of reference for historians.
Other important landmarks in Nairobi CBD include the Kenyatta Interantional Convention Center, the Kencom House, and the Hilton Hotel which closed its operations in 2022.
Despite their significance in Kenya’s history, most of these buildings are now a shadow of their former selves, with minimal or no activity going on in the premises.