Sakaja’s McMillan revival takes shape as Nairobi’s oldest library undergoes restoration

The restoration is being undertaken by Nairobi City County in partnership with Book Bunk Trust, with the first phase focusing on urgent repairs to the 1931 landmark.

According to Governor Johnson Sakaja, the initial works include roof repairs, external drainage improvements and electrical works aimed at protecting the building from water damage and flooding.

“McMillan is more than a building; it is part of Nairobi’s history and identity. Our responsibility is to preserve that heritage while giving it a new life that serves the people of Nairobi today and for generations to come,” Sakaja said.

The restoration is part of the county government’s broader efforts to rehabilitate Nairobi’s public spaces and social infrastructure, including libraries and other historic public institutions.

The project is expected to go beyond structural repairs, with plans to reposition McMillan as a civic and cultural space offering access to knowledge, heritage collections, arts and community programmes.

The library’s archives hold historical material documenting Kenya’s colonial and post-colonial history, making the preservation of its collections a key part of the restoration effort.

“We are not simply repairing an old library. We are restoring a place of knowledge, culture and opportunity and giving McMillan a new life that serves the people of Nairobi for generations to come,” Sakaja said.

Opened in 1931, McMillan Memorial Library is Nairobi’s oldest library and one of the city’s prominent heritage landmarks. The facility was initially reserved for Europeans before being opened to the wider public in the lead-up to Kenya’s independence in 1962.

The library is protected under the McMillan Memorial Library Act, which recognises its architectural, historical and national heritage significance.

Sakaja said the restoration reflects the county government’s broader vision of investing in public institutions that support learning, creativity and civic engagement.

“A modern city must invest not only in roads and buildings, but also in spaces where people can read, learn, create and exchange ideas. That is the Nairobi we are building,” he said.

The restoration presents an opportunity to preserve McMillan’s historic character while opening the institution to a new generation of Nairobi residents, with the long-term goal of turning it from a symbol of a divided past into a shared public space for knowledge, culture and learning.