Museum on region's slave history planned for Kenya coast

The main street within the Old Town leading to the Old Port in Mombasa. Mombasa County has been unable to pay its workers salary arrears amounting to Sh300 million due to financial constraints, an official has said. File 

By BOZO JENJE

Kenya is set to open a museum on the region's slave history in September at Shimoni in Kwale County.

The museum, the first of its kind in East Africa, will be housed at the colonial District Commissioner’s residence that was built in 1885 and abandoned in the 1980’s.

At Shimoni, restoration works funded at a cost of Sh2.5 million by United States of America Embassy Ambassador Fund and government are ongoing.

Shimoni Curator Cultural Landscape Patrick Abungu said the museum space would be used by communities for dialogue and exhibitions on slavery from Africa, East Africa and parts of the Kenyan coast.

“Collections of artefacts and paintings will be on display within the building for tourist to see and learn more about the slavery concept,” he said.

Mr Abungu said for sustainable development and opportunities, the community will be able to internalise the sad historic memories to their benefit.

The heritage conservationist said the museum will be a one stop shop on slavery activities from Freetown, Gazi, Rabai and Takaungu.

“Our agenda is to empower the community and promote the economic development agenda, “he said.

Chairman Shimoni caves Ndalu Mshee said they expect that the initiative would translate into more revenue generation annually.


“The museum will boost the education kitty and the numbers of students sponsored by the cave shall increase from four to more in the coming years,” he said.

Chairperson Wasini Women Board Walk group Swabir Shilingi said the museum presence will market the destination more and tourists visitation on the coral reefs and mangrove would increase.

“The famous Shimoni caves on the Mombasa South Coast are a stark reminder of the human trafficking that thrived up to the mid-19th century,” she said.

Ms Shilingi said although castigated for the atrocities that the victims went through at the hands of the raiders, traders and finally the masters, Shimoni, an important tourist haven and a bubbling fishing village, is a direct beneficiary of the business.

Kwale County Tourism executive Adam Sheikh said the museum would add diversification on the tourist menu from the traditional beach safaris.

“The museum will be an opportunity for job creation and also poverty reduction in the county ,”Mr sheikh said.

According to the NMK which has conducted extensive research and archaeological work on the subject, Shimoni developed to what it is today from the influx of interior residents running away from the slave hunters.