Fort Smith

 monument, fortification

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Fort Smith is a colonial era fortress and upcountry outpost built by Captain (later Major) Eric Smith of The Imperial British East Africa Company (IBEAC) in 1892. The IBEAC was the administrator of British East Africa, which was the forerunner of the East Africa Protectorate, later Kenya. The British met fierce resistance from the local Kikuyu tribe led by their chief Waiyaki Wa Hinga, who earlier in 1890 attacked and destroyed a trading post in Dagoretti (about 4 miles west from here). A stronger Fort Smith was therefore built. While attempting to kill W.P. Purkiss who was in then charge of Fort Smith, Waiyaki Wa Hinga was captured and died in August 17, 1892.On 31st May 2005, the building and compound on which the building stands, measuring approximately two acres was declared a National monument by the Ministry of State for National Heritage.