This archive report was first published on 4 November 2019.
Located in Murang'a Town, the fire station stands as a testament to the region's complex past. As you drive into the town, a signpost welcomes you to the fire station, which was one of the first buildings to be constructed in the area.
Inside the compound, several firefighting engines are parked in an open field, surrounded by the remnants of the old prison. The prison, now known as the Old Murang'a Prison, was built in 1952 by the British during the State of Emergency to contain Mau Mau fighters.
Today, the 67-year-old building has been repurposed as a training facility for firefighters. The cells, which were once used to hold Mau Mau convicts, have been partitioned to create rooms for training, computer classes, and recreational spaces for the fire station staff.
According to John Kihiu Mwangi, the Mau Mau Organising Secretary in Murang'a, the prison was overcrowded, and those found guilty by the Kandara court were jailed here. He recalled that most of the inmates were Mau Mau freedom fighters who were not considered dangerous.
After independence in 1964, the government abandoned the building, and it was later used as a workshop by the defunct municipality. However, it fell into disrepair and became a habitat for wild animals.
It was only after the enactment of the 2010 Constitution and the devolution of services that the fire station was renovated and repurposed as a training facility. Murang'a Chief Fire Officer Bilha Wanjiku led the renovation efforts, which included removing soil, clearing the bush, and driving out snakes using pesticides.
Ms Wanjiku hopes that the National Museums of Kenya will partner with the fire department to establish a monument with a brief history of the facility, highlighting its rich historical background.
As of 2019, the Murang'a Fire Station was recognized as one of the best in the country in disaster preparedness and disaster management by the Polish Center for International Aid.
