President William Ruto has confirmed that State House Nairobi is currently undergoing a makeover.
Speaking at a church in Nairobi on Sunday, March 23, Ruto revealed he was building the state house in his spirit of transforming things to better versions.
"We will continue building in the country. We are building classrooms, roads, and housing units. I must declare that building is part of me. I have built classrooms
ever since I was an MP. I intend to build 500,000 houses. I am also building at the state house," he said.
His remarks came days after State House Nairobi came under scrutiny due to the new look it had adopted.
The current outward look of the president's official residence is characterised by a flat roof design.
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Deemed a kind of neoclassical design, the building now has a symmetrical structure with a white facade.
Also seen is a triangular pediment supported by columns on which the presidential standard stands.
The Kenyan and East African flags, which stood on two parallel pediments in the previous design, have been hoisted on poles installed on the ground in front of the state house.
The new outlook, a drastic deviation from the colonial architecture, is believed to have cost billions.
Ruto has been under fire for constantly allocating billions for the makeover of the residence and the works to improve the interior looks.
The traditional look of State House Nairobi was a heap red-tiled roofing style.
It also had two pouches and pediments on which the presidential standard, and the Kenyan and East African Community flags flew.
Also, unlike the current cabro blocks, the pavements around the state house were previously made of asphalt tarmac.
The modifications of the state house irked the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK), whose members were concerned that the changes compromised the building's historical and cultural significance.
The association acknowledged the need for maintenance but warned that the recent facelift significantly compromised the building’s classic architectural proportions.
The AAK noted that recent modifications have altered key design elements, including the replacement of the iconic red roofing tiles.
It also argued that the introduction of a deeper roof parapet, which flattens the roof’s aesthetic, also takes away from its original character.
Additionally, AAK said merging of two entrances into a large canopy, possibly with a drop-off point, has drastically affected the building’s symmetry.
The association also expressed concerns that the parapet depth now obscures other essential architectural features, such as chimneys, making it unclear whether they have been retained.
Highlighting international examples, the AAK pointed out other countries that have preserved their historic government buildings with care.
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