Parliament Buildings (Kenya) Explained

The Parliament Buildings in Nairobi are the seat of the Kenyan Parliament.

History

The buildings were constructed in 1954 and became the home of the colonial legislature of the Kenya Colony, the Legislative Council of Kenya, which sat there until 1963, when the council was replaced by the National Assembly.[1] The buildings, known before 1963 as the "Legislative Buildings", were designed by prominent modernist architect, Amyas Connell, and the town planning advisor to the Kenyan Colonial Government, Harold Thornley Dyer.[2] [3] The Parliament has an English-style clocktower which was a design requirement to have the Legislative Buildings echo the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben.[4]

During the Kenya Finance Bill protests on 25 June 2024, the parliament was stormed.[5] Several rooms were ransacked while parts of the building were set on fire.[6] The ceremonial mace used in legislative proceedings was stolen.[7] Ten protesters were shot dead by police with 31 protesters injured and over 280 protesters arrested.[8]

Burials

Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya's first prime minister and president, is buried on the estate.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pathé . British . New Parliament Building In Nairobi . 2 January 2022 . www.britishpathe.com . en-GB . 2 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220102045708/https://www.britishpathe.com/video/new-parliament-building-in-nairobi . live .
  2. Web site: Parliament Building . February 2017 . Triad Architects . 19 August 2022 . 19 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220819123244/https://triad.co.ke/portfolio/parliament-building/ . live .
  3. Shariff . Yasmin . Modern Movement Houses in the Colonial Capital City of Nairobi . Docomomo Journal . 2021 . 64 . 1 . 80–83 . 10.52200/64.A.L3ZCOKJZ . 234924203 . 19 August 2022 . 23 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221223032851/https://www.docomomo.pt/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/DocomomoJournal64_2021_YShariff.pdf . live .
  4. Web site: Nairobi, Kenya - Parliament House . 2 January 2022 . www.nairobikenya.com . en-US . 2 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220102045708/http://www.nairobikenya.com/attractions/historical-cultural/parliament-house/ . live .
  5. Web site: 25 June 2024 . Kenya's parliament compound Stormed, building set ablaze, Reuters witness says . Reuters.
  6. Web site: 26 June 2024 . At least five killed, parliament set ablaze in Kenya tax protests . 26 June 2024 . France 24 . en.
  7. Web site: Five killed and parliament ablaze in Kenya tax protests . 26 June 2024 . BBC . en . 25 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240625222033/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cerrv93yx1mo . live .
  8. Web site: Burrell . Miriam . 25 June 2024 . Fire erupts as protesters storm Kenya's parliament amid nationwide unrest . 25 June 2024 . Evening Standard . en . 25 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240625124919/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/kenya-parliament-fire-nairobe-protests-tax-teargas-police-b1166675.html . live .

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