Mombasa banks on return of food bazaar to court tourists

By PHILIP MWAKIO

New plans have been mooted by Mombasa County and Coast Tourist Association (MTCA) to revive the Old Town evening food bazaar. 

According to MTCA Executive Officer Millie Odhiambo, the food bazaar will promote the Swahili cuisine as well as empower indigenous chefs. “We started off in 2010 on a pilot basis but the response was not good as we had not done adequate marketing and publicity for the bazaar,’’ Odhiambo told The Standard. 

The bazaar enables tourists to enjoy Swahili cuisines while embracing the diverse culture through interaction with the locals to provide first hand experience about the Coast and its inhabitants.  The bazaar also enables tourists to understand the local culture and integrate with the locals as well as share in their day-to-day activities.

One can eat a variety of delicacies such as fish curry, pilau, biriyani, tandoori chicken, beef and chicken kebabs.

Odhiambo said the county was banking on tourism to develop the region, adding that MCTA has sought funding from the French Government through the French embassy to fulfill this plan.