Shock, anger at Mama Ngina Drive, Fort Jesus land grab

A section of Fort Jesus Museums from the front side where people gain access into the fort. December 11, 2015. [PHOTO BY GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD].

Furious Mombasa residents, hoteliers and heritage conservationists have expressed dismay at revelations that the historic and UNESCO World Heritage Fort Jesus Museums and the scenic Mama Ngina drive in Mombasa city have been grabbed.

A report by the Public Investments Committee (PIC) of the National Assembly claims the two public sites have been illegally allocated to private owners.

Former National Heritage Minister William Ntimama, who called The Standard on Sunday newsroom yesterday, expressed shock at the report and urged the government to act tough and repossess any land grabbed from the National Museums of Kenya (NMK).

“During my tenure, there were efforts to grab land under NMK but I fought hard and ensured that NMK land wherever it was in the republic was intact,’’ Ntimama said.

He said it was clear that crooks who had gotten or grabbed the said land got support from some government officials. “My humble appeal to President Uhuru Kenyatta is for him to personally intervene and see to it that all NMK land and parcels for public utility which might have been grabbed is reposed now,” Ntimama said.

But NMK denied knowledge of the alleged land grab at Fort Jesus but conceded there have been attempts to grab parts of the Mama Ngina Drive recreational park.

“It is not true that Fort Jesus is gone. There is a title deed and the land around this monument is intact,’’ NMK Coast Assistant Director Athman Hussein told The Standard on Sunday.

Athman said there is no block title for Mama Ngina drive and the area has been prone to problems with people he did not name who have laid claims to chunk of it.

Reacting to claims of the alleged grabbing, the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (Kahc) termed the scenario a terrible move and danger to Kenya’s rich cultural heritage. Sam Ikwaye, Kahc Coast branch executive officer, said the tourism fraternity, which is trying to come out of a huge slump, cannot allow that to happen.

“Before we even allow that to happen and before we engage in public arrest or institute measures to take back spaces grabbed, we demand that government authorities come clean on the status of the said parcels,’’ Ikwaye said.

Friends of Fort Jesus chairman Hamzali Taibali said the former Jubilee Hall land opposite the entrance to Fort Jesus Museum was acquired by private developers many decades ago. In its place today stands a modern eatery while another plot adjacent to the Mombasa Club has had a commercial building put up.

“These acquisitions are not new,’’ he said.