Storm brews over Mama Ngina Park
The newly refurbished Mama Ngina Waterfront Park which hosted this year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations has raised a storm over how the resource will be harnessed amidst clear divisions in the Mombasa county government on how the park will be run.
Fate of small-scale traders who have traditionally been operating at the site is unclear after they were evicted to pave way for the Sh460 million facelift.
This is despite assurance by the government that the park will be freely accessed by the public and that traders will be considered to run their businesses inside the facility, albeit under stringent rules.
While some traders are optimistic they will be allowed back after Sunday’s launch, others, however, expressed concerns that the new look waterfront park could come with more levies in the name of maintenance, a move they vowed to reject. “The President said that small businesses existed since the reign of the late ‘Mzee Jomo Kenyatta’ and therefore no businessman shall be relocated,” said Edwin Charo, a cassava crisps vendor who is now operating a stone’s throw away from the waterfront.
Last month, Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala unveiled a board to take charge of the redeveloped waterfront with former Shipping and Logistics expert Brown Ondego as Chairman.
The board will work alongside Kenya Coast Tourist Association (KCTA), Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF), Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), Mombasa Golf Club, Law Society of Kenya Mombasa branch and the National Museums of Kenya.
Balala said the government had secured title deed for the six hectares land where Mama Ngina Waterfront lies in the name of Treasury Cabinet Secretary as a trustee of the Tourism and Wildlife Ministry for 99 years.
New board
However, MCAs at the Mombasa County Assembly are divided on the new board with some saying the assembly was never consulted regarding the appointment of the board. “Currently we are on recess but when we resume next week on Monday I will bring this matter up in the assembly because there are two issues. The issue of the board and that of the small-scale traders who were relocated to pave way for the refurbishment,” said Amur Murfahad of Mji wa Kale Ward.
The park, sitting on 26 acres overlooking the Kilindini Channel in Mombasa, has now been transformed into an integrated urban tourist attraction site.
Refurbishment included landscaping and paving the waterfront with concrete blocks, construction of a state-of-the-art amphitheatre, Kilindini Cultural Centre, ablution blocks and two main gates leading to the park among other developments. Tourists visiting the park will have a choice to treat themselves to cultural exhibitions, shopping, dining at fresco restaurants and cafes or relax at the breathtaking expansive site.
Water taxis
The project is designed to support a 24-hour economy and its layout includes a new jetty for water taxis.
Ministry of Tourism is already optimistic that the park will attract more local and foreign tourists to Mombasa, Kenya’s oldest town and the country’s second city.
After commissioning the construction of the park in January President Uhuru Kenyatta said his expectation was that the facility will help restore the glory of Mombasa as a top tourist destination in the region.
The official opening of the park was marked with a retinue of entertainment activities that included fireworks, traditional dances and acrobatic shows among others.
