Our Past Heritage

The Desai Memorial Library was a significant building from the 1930s all through to the early nineties. The building is significant in Kenya’s history for two reasons: it was the first library that welcomed all races through its wooden doors; but also, the man who it was named after played a significant role in the inclusion of minority races in the colonial period.

His name was Manilal Ambalal Desai, and he was born in the Gujarat Village of Gotalawadi in India in 1879. After secondary school, Desai took on his first job briefly before transitioning into banking. His strides to do better saw him journey south to Kenya, where he worked as a managing clerk at Harrison, Salmon and Cresswell Law Firm. His work here invited him to join the Nairobi Indian Association, which became the stepping stone to his notability in the colony. While here, Desai spearheaded vigorous campaigns, demanding justice and equality for both Indians and Kenyans. Desai became obsessed with the desire to serve the community selflessly and availed himself to anyone who sought advice or guidance.

During this time, Desai met with Kenyan teacher, Harry Thuku, founder of The Young Kikuyu Association. They shared many political ideas, and Desai joined the East African Chronicle – a local newspaper – as editor, where it is noted he included Thuku’s “Tangazo” pamphlets. The pamphlets were anti-colonial rule. The publication inclusion eventually caused a stir with the colonial government, and the newspaper was shut down. Despite this setback, Desai remained undeterred; he joined The Democrat – a newspaper that had replaced the Chronicle, and planned to travel to Tanganyika to raise funds for this newspaper. In 1925, before leaving for Tanganyika, Desai joined the Legislative Council (Legco). The following year in July, while in Bukoba, Desai died of heart failure.

The news of his passing was a great loss to the Asian community in Kenya. But they rallied together and founded a charitable organization in Malinal Ambalal Desai’s name. The organization’s mission was threefold: to alleviate poverty, aid the distressed, and ultimately provide for the needy. It didn’t stop there. Because of Desai’s selflessness and community work, plans to erect a public hall were set, and the foundation stone for the building was laid on 5th December, 1929 by Indian activist and poet, Sarojini Naidu. In 1934, the hall was opened as a public library. This was contrary to the situation at the time when only European libraries and reading spaces existed. The library encouraged literacy among Kenyans, especially those that hadn’t been fortunate to access education, but it also provided a reading space to the Kenyans that were educated

With need to transition, the property where the library was situated was sold in 1993 and the funds received were used by the Desai Memorial Foundation to promote educational activities for the benefit of Kenyans through scholarships and library support within various schools throughout the country. The foundation presently invites volunteers to join their charity work. They keep the memory of Desai alive through charitable activities, lectures, seminars, and exhibitions.

We applaud M. A. Desai, and we thank the Desai Memorial Foundation for their continuous efforts in bettering the reading culture throughout Kenya.

Have you heard of Desai before? Perhaps you know the road named after him? Or maybe you’d been to the library in the earlier days. Let us know.

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