FORT MACHAKOS

When British and German colonists developed interests in east Africa, they agreed on how it was to be shared. Germany claimed what was to become Tanzania while the Britain interests lay on the area occupied by modern Kenya and Uganda. Fredrick Jackson was entrusted to establish a route from Mombasa to Uganda. He used the traditional Kamba trade route and reached “kwa Masaku”. Due to its strategic location, he claimed it for the queen as the first inland headquarters and had it renamed to Machakos. Fredrick delegated authority to Kalembu when he left for Uganda and later started the work of constructing fort Machakos; where the pillars which stand at the fort to date.