A gift of Kshs. 150,000 in the late 1940s is what led to the founding of one of Kenya’s oldest tertiary institutions. The money was raised as a result of deliberations about a new educational institution the coastal region. These discussions were facilitated by the former governor of Kenya between four key players. Namely, the Aga Khan, the Sultan of Zanzibar, the Secretary of State for the colonies, and Her Majesty’s Treasury. Kshs. 100,000 was provided by none other than the Sultan of Zanzibar and a supplement of Kshs. 50,000 came from the Bohra Community of East Africa.
What came out of this joint effort to raise funds was the Mombasa Institute of Muslim Education (MIOME). The parties that ensured the school’s formation were representative of the diverse Muslim communities in East Africa. The unity displayed during the planning stages made the school a shining beacon of cooperation.
A Strong Foundation
Much like the process to establish the school, its implementation was also guided by passionate individuals with a vision for a standout educational institution. Liwali (Governor) Sheikh-Sir Mbarak Al-Hinawy of the Coast of East Africa and Mombasa was one of the pioneers who made the school his personal project. The government relied on him to give his two cents about the nitty-gritty details of the school.
In 1948, he called in a personal favour from his good friend Sheikh Khamis. He compelled him to provide 34 acres of land in Port Tudor where the institution would be built. If not for this willingness to go above and beyond, the Prof. Ali Alamin Mazrui Campus would be non-existent. Under the leadership of Sheikh-Sir Mbarak Al-Hinawy, the pieces came together for an educational institution charged with equipping Muslim students with stellar technical knowledge.
In 1951, the doors opened to welcome the school’s very first students. After diligently seeing to the school’s organisation, Sheikh-Sir Mbarak Al-Hinawy attended the school’s opening as a special guest. He then took his place as the founding member of MIOME’s Board of Governors.
Staying Ahead of the Curve
Students who attended the school could undertake courses in technical skills such as Woodwork, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and even Seamanship. These courses changed significantly upon independence to cater to the brand-new education policies rolled out by the Kenyan government. MIOME not only complied by including courses like Mathematics, Business Studies and Civil Engineering. In 1966, the school also became Mombasa Technical Institute (MTI) and began to accept students from all backgrounds regardless of religion.
Determined to continue the tradition of keeping up with developments in the educational space, the school introduced more changes to its courses in 1976. This time, the school homed in on five main disciplines – Mechanical Engineering, Applied Sciences, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Business Studies, Building and Civil Engineering. Through these departments, the school aimed to give students the most marketable courses. And it transformed into Mombasa Polytechnic – only the second national polytechnic in Kenya at the time.
Different Name, Same Values
The milestones did not stop there for this decades-old institution. In 2007, the school gained University College status and a monumental change ensued. The new stature came with government support that led to the school’s expansion in student population, infrastructure and staff capacity. Some of this support came in the form of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology taking the school under its wing as a constituent college. The mentorship afforded the school a charter that upgraded it to Technical University Mombasa (TUM) in 2013. It became the first institution in the region to be awarded a Charter – yet another first for the respected school.
The focus the school had put on building key departments paid off and by the time of the name change, it had strong faculties and schools – the Faculty of Applied and Health Science, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and School of Business Studies.
Whereas students could only take limited technical courses at the onset, they could now take qualifications from Certificate level all the way to Masters. TUM regarded itself as a learning organisation with a focus on enriching its staff and even expanded with satellite campuses in Kwale and Lamu Counties.
A school of many firsts and a deep well of coastal history, TUM is an institution of note. Are you a proud alumnus of this University? Do you remember when the school underwent monumental changes? Let us know in the comments!