By James Wanzala

Kenya: Built in 1896 by trader Rex Boustead, Mombasa Club is the oldest such facility in Kenya. When it opened, it was exclusively for whites.

At one time, it was exclusively patronised by Europeans who numbered no more than 50. To be a member, one had to be earning at least £250 (Sh36,513) per year.

“Mombasa Club is the only place within the Old Town where alcoholic beverages are sold. There are no bars in Old Town. However, Mombasa Club is exclusively for members,” says Dr Kalandar Khan, Physical Planning Co-ordinator, National Museums of Kenya.

It is adjacent to the imposing Fort Jesus, a monumental piece of architecture built by the Portuguese at the end of the 15th century (1593) to secure their position in the Coast of East Africa.

Today, the club is multi-racial and women as well as men are admitted as members. Queen Elizabeth stayed at this place during the ceremonies of independence in 1963.

Uganda railways

The history of the Mombasa Club goes back to the year 1896, with the start of the laying of the Uganda Railways which was being built to link the Indian Ocean to the source of the Nile – at the Lake Victoria in the quest to control the Suez Canal in North Africa.

In 1896, Rex Boustead and three other friends established the Mombasa Club, which drew its membership mainly from the British civil servants and railway employees who were working for the British East

Africa Protectorate.

They patronised the club for socialisation after work.

By 1897, membership had grown to 60 and was open to men only. Today, membership stands at 2,500 and the club is open to all races, both men and women.

The building is a good example of the turn-of-the-century administrative buildings, which mix local materials of construction

Elegant

like the coral rag, lime mortar and plaster for masonry and European materials like the tiles for roofing.

The building is well ventilated, thanks to the many openings.

The club has 26 elegantly furnished air conditioned bedrooms with a shower or bathtub, two well stocked bars and a restaurant.

It also has a reading room with periodicals, local and overseas newspapers and magazines; library; TV room; swimming pool; two squash courts; snooker; two conference rooms; Bryson and Kanyanda rooms.

The swimming pool is filled with seawater from the Tudor Creek (entry to the Old Port) and it is the only seawater pool in the Kenyan Coast.

Situated on the edge of the ocean, the club enjoys cool breezes from the Indian Ocean for the better part of the year.

Children between the ages of 10 and 18 may be allowed to use the dining room and upstairs lounge provided they are accompanied by at least one parent.

The Mombasa Club has reciprocity/affiliation agreements with other clubs in Africa, India, Ireland, Scotland, Europe, Hong Kong, Australia and Pakistan.

—jwanzala@standardmedia.co.ke