UK hands over digital tech to National Archives with access to over 300K digitised colonial-era files

Kenya has benefited from a major boost in its archival capacity after the United Kingdom donated new digital technology to the Kenya National Archives.

The new equipment, which includes a server, computers, and specialised archival software handed over by the UK Deputy High Commissioner to Kenya, Dr. Ed Barnett, will facilitate public access to over 307,000 digitised colonial-era files.

Speaking on Thursday, Dr. Barnett said the donation would go a long way in preserving records of shared history while ensuring Kenyans can tell their own story.

“Today, we are providing more than just technology. Our partnership with the National Archives will ensure Kenyans can better tell their own histories. By addressing our history with honesty and openness, we demonstrate the strength of our friendship today and our commitment to building ever closer ties in the future,” he said.

The donation comes months after the UK government formally handed over 307,164 digitised files from the UK National Archives to the Kenya National Archives and Documentation Service (KNADS) in December 2024.

The large volume of digitised archives related to British colonial rule in the country included documents about the Mau Mau insurgency and prominent figures like the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, among others.

British High Commissioner to Kenya, Neil Wigan OBE, delivered the historical archives to President William Ruto at an event celebrating the inscription of the Gedi National Monument as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.