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Kenyans get a view of the new look State House facade
12th December, 2025 05:49 PM
Kenyans on social media are sharing their first glimpses of the transformed facade of State House, Nairobi, the official residence of President William Ruto.
Photos circulating online show that the iconic building has undergone major architectural changes, most notably in its roofline and exterior finish.
What was once dominated by the distinctive red-tiled colonial roof has now been replaced by a sleek, modern flat roof design, giving the historic seat of government a completely different silhouette.
The familiar dual dormers that once held the Kenyan and East African flags have been removed, with the flags now flying on poles in front of the building instead.
The facade has also been refreshed with a bright white paint job that lends the structure a cleaner, more contemporary look compared with its previous colonial-era appearance.
The government has spent billions on renovations of State House and state lodges over the past two years, despite ongoing budget cuts.
The renovations
The Nairobi State House alone has seen a facelift costing Ksh1.7 billion, with Ksh775 million spent by September 2024, marking 44 per cent completion of the project.
According to the Controller of Budget, Ksh3.3 billion of a planned Ksh10.7 billion refurbishment programme, expected to run until June 2027, had been spent by September 2024.
The major renovation of the Nairobi State House began in January 2024 when the main building was closed for work.
In February 2025, State House Comptroller Katoo Ole Metito maintained that the ongoing facelift is being funded and undertaken by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Department of Defence (DoD).
Appearing before the National Assembly Administration and Internal Security Committee, Metito requested an additional Ksh3 billion for State House to finalise pending projects, including renovations.
During the presentation before the committee, State House officials defended the allocations and provided a breakdown of expenditures for the current financial year.
State House Comptroller Katoo Ole Metito revealed that security agencies had taken over the refurbishment projects.
“We did not have a budget for renovation. The pavilion is being constructed under the DoD budget, while the main house is being renovated by NIS. This is a security facility that attracts security budgets,” said Metito.
