Kenya National Archives building in Nairobi on July 7, 2025.
Thousands of digital records which the United Kingdom handed over to Kenya in late 2024 can now be accessed at the Kenya National Archives, following the installation of a new system.
In December, the UK provided electronic copies of nearly 310,000 colonial-era files to President William Ruto, although they were not immediately accessible.
At the time of the handover, the British High Commission stated that the records comprised documents and photographs generated between 1907 and 1968. They included 2,658 files and more than 307,164 images, amounting to 9.6 terabytes of data.
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On August 21, the UK government officially handed over the server, computers, and specialised archival software designed to read the records, during an event attended by the UK Deputy High Commissioner to Kenya, Dr Ed Barnett.
“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.”
Representing Kenya, Culture Cabinet Secretary Hanna Cheptumo was in attendance, alongside Ms Ummi Bashir, Principal Secretary of the State Department for Culture, Arts and Heritage.
The Director of the Kenya National Archives, Mr Francis Mwangi, was also present.
“The handover marks a significant milestone in the UK–Kenya partnership, aimed at preserving records of our shared history and ensuring Kenya can tell her own story,” read a press release from the British High Commission in Nairobi.
“The equipment is designed to support the Kenya National Archives in storing, managing, and providing access to digitised materials received from the UK National Archives. This will ensure that researchers, students, and the public can explore and engage with these records of Kenya’s past,” it added.
Ms Cheptumo, in a post on X following the handover, described it as a “historic day for Kenya”.
“For decades, Kenya pursued the return of archival records taken to the UK on the eve of independence. That journey has now borne fruit with the transfer of 307,164 digitised images and 9.76 terabytes of data covering pivotal moments such as the Mau Mau uprising and the State of Emergency,” wrote the Cabinet Secretary.
“This achievement, made possible through cooperation with the British government, marks Kenya as one of the first post-colonial nations to comprehensively reclaim its archival records.
"More than documents, these archives restore memory, truth, and identity—ensuring Kenyans can now access their history at home without travelling abroad,” she added.
