Former Coast PC's house to be converted into official home for Deputy President

The former Coast Provincial Commissioner's official residence next to State House Mombasa. [Gideon Maundu, Standard]

The official residence of the former Coast provincial commissioner is being converted into the Deputy President's official residence.

According to a newspaper advertisement appearing in the latest MyGov publication, the Government is calling on contractors to pick tenders to carry out conversion works on the building.

The PC's house, which is currently unoccupied, lies next to State House, Mombasa. Its last occupant was Samuel Kilele, the former Coast PC and regional co-ordinator.

Contractors are being encouraged to collect tender documents from Harambee House in person or against written application.

"There shall be a pre-tender site visit on September 14, 2017, at 11am. Tenders in plain sealed envelopes should be addressed to: Principal Administrative Secretary, Office of the Deputy President PO Box 74434-00200, Nairobi, not later than September 26, 2017, at 10am," states the advertisement.

The Deputy President's official residence in Karen, Nairobi, was put up at a cost of Sh400 million.

Several houses

It comprises several houses including two three-bedroom maisonettes for the house keeper and the deputy house keeper.

There are also houses for security officers and other staff.

While the Head of State is housed at State House Mombasa whenever he is on official duty at the Coast, his deputy has had to take up residency in selected beach hotels.

Before the construction of Government House Nairobi, the first governor's residence was Government House Mombasa, which was built in 1879.

Government House Nairobi, now State House Nairobi, was built in 1907 to serve as the official residence of the Governor of British East Africa when Kenya was a British colony.

Official functions

The governor would conduct his official functions at the old Provincial Commissioner's office (now a national monument) next to Nyayo House and then retire to Government House for the day.

British architect Hebert Baker designed the original State House in Nairobi. After independence, Government House was renamed State House.

Although it remained the official residence of the Head of State, in practice it became an administrative or operational office occasionally providing accommodation to visiting State guests and hosting receptions on national days.

There are State lodges in Sagana, Kisumu, Eldoret and Kakamega. There is also one in Mtito Andei but it has never been put to use since the times of Kenya's first President Jomo Kenyatta.