Timeline of Nairobi

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Nairobi, Kenya.

Prior to 20th century

 * 1899 - Uganda Railway (Mombasa-Nairobi) begins operating; depot built by British.

1900s-1920s

 * 1900 - Incorporated as the Township of Nairobi
 * 1901
 * Native Civil hospital opens.
 * The Nairobi Club established
 * 1904 - Norfolk Hotel opens.
 * 1905
 * British East Africa Protectorate capital moves from Mombasa to Nairobi.
 * Nairobi Parsee Zoroastrian Anjuman Religious and Charitable Funds established.
 * 1906
 * Jamia Mosque construction started.
 * Royal Nairobi Golf Club founded.
 * 1907 - British Government House built.
 * 1909 - East Africa and Uganda Natural History Society established.
 * 1910
 * East African Standard newspaper headquartered in Nairobi.
 * Museum of the East Africa and Uganda Natural History Society established.
 * 1912 - Theatre Royal opens.
 * 1913 - Muthaiga Country Club founded.
 * 1914 - Shri Vankaner Vidya Prasarak Mandal established.
 * 1917
 * Anjuman Islamia established.
 * East Africa Women's League established.
 * Indian Christian Union formed.
 * 1918 - Punjebhai Club formed.
 * 1919 - Nairobi Political Association formed.
 * 1920
 * Social Service Volunteer Corps established.
 * Majlis-i-Ahl-i-Kashmeer established.

1930s-1950s

 * 1930 - Coryndon Museum opens.
 * 1931 - McMillan lending library (for white settlers) opens.
 * 1934 - Sir Ali Muslim Club (cricket) founded.
 * 1935 - Nairobi becomes a municipality.
 * 1939 - St. Mary's School founded.
 * 1944 - Kenya Conservatoire of Music founded.
 * 1946 - Nairobi National Park established.
 * 1947 - Kenya National Archives headquartered in city.
 * 1948
 * East African Literature Bureau founded.
 * Population: 118,976 (urban agglomeration).
 * 1949 - American Center Library established.
 * 1950 - Nairobi became a city
 * 1951 - Railway rerouted via Kibera
 * 1952
 * City Council formed.
 * Princess Elizabeth Hospital opens.
 * 1953 - Nairobi Dam constructed.
 * 1954
 * Legislative Council (Legco) Building opened
 * Ngong Racecourse opens.
 * European Hospital opens.
 * 1955
 * Israel Somen elected mayor.
 * Government Indian School renamed Duke of Gloucester School
 * 1956
 * Royal Technical College established.
 * East African Library Association headquartered in city.
 * 1958
 * Nairobi Embakasi Airport opened
 * Embassy Cinema opened.
 * Thika Rd Drive-In (later renamed Fox Drive-In) opened
 * Kenya Cinema opened
 * New Donovan Maule Theatre opened
 * Aga Khan Hospital opened

1960s-1970s

 * 1961 - Kenya Polytechnic established.
 * 1962 - Nairobi West Airport renamed Wilson Airport
 * 1963
 * City becomes capital of Republic of Kenya.
 * Kenya School of Law established.
 * 1964 - Abaluhya United Football Club founded.
 * 1966 - United Nations Office at Nairobi established.
 * 1967
 * National Library Service of Kenya headquartered in city.
 * Kenya Open golf tournament begins.
 * 1968
 * Gor Mahia Football Club founded.
 * Swedish school founded.
 * 1969
 * July: Political leader Tom Mboya assassinated.
 * Hilton Nairobi built.
 * 1970
 * University of Nairobi and Nairobi Japanese School established.
 * Margaret Kenyatta becomes mayor.
 * Tusker Football Club founded.
 * 1971 - Nairobi Railway Museum opens.
 * 1973
 * Kenyatta International Conference Centre and National Social Security Fund building constructed.
 * City administrators develop municipal "master plan."
 * Population: 630,000 urban agglomeration.
 * 1975
 * Uchumi Supermarkets founded.
 * City hosts World Council of Churches conference.
 * 1978 - Mazingira Institute founded.

1980s-1990s

 * 1980 - Nairobi Records Centre of the Kenya National Archives established.
 * 1981
 * City hall building expanded.
 * ICEA Building and Cooperative Bank House built.
 * 1983
 * Sarit Centre shopping mall opens.
 * Nyayo National Stadium and Nyayo House built.
 * Phoenix Players theatre troupe active.
 * 1985
 * Kenyatta University established.
 * Third UN World Conference on Women held from 15 to 26 July 1985
 * 1987
 * Moi International Sports Centre built.
 * City hosts All-Africa Games.
 * 1989 - Kenya College of Accountancy founded.
 * 1990
 * Kenya Television Network founded.
 * Lonrho House built.
 * Population: 1,380,000 (urban agglomeration).
 * 1992 - Anniversary Towers built.
 * 1994 - Mathare United Football Club founded.
 * 1995 - The Village Market shopping center opens.
 * 1998 - U.S. embassy bombed.
 * 1997 - Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis headquartered in city.
 * 1999
 * Rahimtulla Tower built.
 * Nairobi Java House opens.
 * 2000
 * New Central Bank Tower built.
 * Population: 2,230,000 (urban agglomeration).

2000s

 * 2001
 * I&M Bank Tower built.
 * Nairobi Women's Hospital founded.
 * Coalition for Peace in Africa headquartered in Nairobi.
 * Unrest in Kibera.
 * 2002
 * Kiriri Women's University of Science and Technology established.
 * World Urban Forum held.
 * 2003
 * Nairobi Marathon begins.
 * Dorman's Coffee opens.
 * Kwani? literary journal begins publication.
 * GoDown Arts Centre founded.
 * 2004 - Dick Wathika elected mayor.
 * 2005
 * July: Political protest.
 * Population: 2,814,000 (urban agglomeration).
 * 2006 - www.sheng.co.ke Kenya's first online Sheng Dictionary goes live after major overhaul.
 * 2007
 * Nairobi Province administrative districts created.
 * December - Post-election unrest.
 * 2008
 * Google office in business.
 * Nairobi National Museum building expanded.
 * 2009 - Population: 3,138,369.

2010s

 * 2010
 * Mayor Geoffrey Majiwa resigns.
 * City hosts African Championships in Athletics.
 * IHub opens.
 * June: Blast occurs during protest in Uhuru Park.
 * Population: 3,109,861 (estimate).
 * 2011
 * Petrol pipeline explosion, Sinai slum.
 * Hay Festival of literature held.
 * George Aladwa elected mayor.
 * 2012
 * Nairobi-Syokimau railway begins operating.
 * IMAX Nairobi (cinema) opens.
 * Sister city relationship established with Raleigh, US.
 * 2013
 * Nairobi County administrative division effected.
 * 4 March: Election held for governor and National Assembly.
 * 7 August: Nairobi airport fire.
 * September: 2013 Women's African Volleyball Championship held.
 * 21–24 September: Westgate shopping mall attack.
 * 14 December: Bus attack in Eastleigh.
 * 2014 - Caramel restaurant in business.
 * 2015 - July: US president Obama visits city.
 * 2017
 * Two Rivers Shopping Complex at the northern boundary shopping centre of Ruaka opened
 * June 1-The first phase of the Mombasa–Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, built by the China Road & Bridge Construction Company mainly funded by China Exim Bank and the Government of Kenya is inaugurated by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
 * 2018 - Part of 2018 African Nations Championship football contest to be played in Nairobi.