Her name was Mwana Mkisi and she was the mother of Thenashara Taifa or the Twelve Swahili Tribes that populated the area we now know as Mombasa. She founded Kongowea – an urban settlement around 900 AD – and her lineage still remains. Sheikh Mvita Mkisi’s dynasty in the 14th century and built the first permanent stone mosque on the island. He and his predecessor Mwana Mkisi, are revered as the founders of Mombasa, the city, its people, its culture and history.
Mombasa has been a point of attraction for centuries, but for different reasons than it is today. Chronicled by Ibn Battuta of Morocco, coveted by Vasco da Gama of Portugal, conquered by the Mazrui of Oman and charted by Joseph Thomson of Scotland, her allure and strategic importance is unquestioned. From the island hosting the modern city with its neighbourhoods of Kizingo, Kibokoni, Englani, Kuze and Tudor we are familiar with the towering tusks that adorn Moi Avenue and the teeming multitudes who line up each day at the Likoni ferry.
Separating Tudor and Port Reitz creeks and connecting the western mainland is the Makupa Causeway built in the 1920s. The mainland is the transport hub of the county with Port Reitz – home to the Moi International Airport and Miritini – which now hosts the ultramodern Mombasa Terminus of the new railway. Meanwhile Magongo, Mikindani and the industrial area of Changamwe bolster the economic heartbeat of the county.
To head north and off the island one must use the “New” Nyali Bridge built in 1976 while to connect to the southern mainland one uses the Likoni ferry, crossing Kenya’s coastal jewel Kilindini Harbour. Mombasa County has been the entry port to Kenya from time immemorial and even served as the capital city between 1887 and 1906. Mombasa packs a powerful punch, at once being the smallest county in the country at only 212.5 sq km and one of the most vibrant and culturally rich.
Behold County 001, accordingly starting our journey across Kenya.
Our featured photographer for Mombasa county is Jamila Hassan El-Jabry: a blogger, content creator and creative from Mombasa. Jamila runs Life in Mombasa a lifestyle blog showcasing all things 001 – its historical background, vibrant culture and modern day life. Jamila shares with us Mombasa through her eyes – yummy samosas, mahamri and mandazi, the giraffes of Haller Park, Old Town historical houses and so much more! Want to know what to do in Mombasa county? Check out Life in Mombasa for some great ideas.
Read the Paukwa Kids’ Safari Series story about Mombasa here:
