Exploring the street names of Mombasa
Mombasa must have been — and still is — one of the most culturally mixed cities in the world and the city’s street names speak of that. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- Whereas Nairobi street names say much about the transition from a colonial ‘city in the sun’ to the capital.
- You will know the main threads of Mombasa’s history: that the Portuguese became the first known Europeans to visit in 1498, and were met with hostility and soon went on their way; that they eventually controlled the city in the 16th and 17th centuries;
- it was ruled by Omani Arab and Swahili families, apart from a brief period again in the 18th century by the Portuguese, until in 1887 it passed to the British.
- Add in the coastal African ethnic groups and the many Indian traders, Mombasa must have been — and still is — one of the most culturally mixed cities in the world.
Last week, I wrote about what the street names of Nairobi tell us about the history of the city — and the country. This week it is the turn of Mombasa. It has been a more difficult task. I am not so familiar with the Mombasa streets and, whereas the Nairobi names say much about the transition from a colonial “city in the sun” to the capital of an independent Kenya, those of Mombasa are clues — and not always easy ones — to a much longer and more complicated story.
Yes, just as in Nairobi, some streets were renamed after prominent African nationalists of the transition years. Jomo Kenyata is there, of course. And Tom Mboya. There is also one name of particular significance for the Coast: Ronald Ngala.
I heard a lot about Ngala, when I was fortunate enough to interview Sir Michael Blundell a number of times — and, especially, when I was doing some research on the pre-Independence Lancaster House Conferences.
Blundell was at both of the conferences, and with KADU at the second one; Ngala was elected leader of the KADU delegation. And Blundell rated him very highly. This is what he wrote in his book, So Rough a Wind, published in 1964:
“He is a strong, constructive nationalist ... His home is the coastal area of Kenya, and his background arouses no strong tribal fears or suspicion. Just as the Kikuyu look to Kenyatta ... Ngala appeals to the men and women of the smaller groups and tribes who are seeking a leader without a pronounced tribal image ... He has the personality which is acceptable to men of widely differing temperament, and allied with his integrity and single-mindedness he will continue to exercise a great influence upon the scene.”
MIXED HERITAGE
Sadly, Ngala was not able to exert that influence for long. He died in a road accident in 1972.
But whereas the history of Nairobi is short — the site was what Charles Miller in The Lunatic Express called “a sprawl of papyrus” until the railway construction teams set up camp there in 1899 — there was an Arab trading settlement in Mombasa as far back as the 8th century.
You will know the main threads of Mombasa’s history: that the Portuguese became the first known Europeans to visit in 1498, and were met with hostility and soon went on their way; that they eventually controlled the city in the 16th and 17th centuries; that it was ruled by Omani Arab and Swahili families, apart from a brief period again in the 18th century by the Portuguese, until in 1887 it passed to the British. Add in the coastal African ethnic groups and the many Indian traders, Mombasa must have been — and still is — one of the most culturally mixed cities in the world.
And the city’s street names speak of that.
Mombasa’s Swahili name was Kisiwa cha Mvita (or Mvita for short), meaning “Island of War”, because of the many changes of ownership. Naturally, there are many Swahili names. Ndia Kuu is the “great way” leading from Fort Jesus into the Old Town, and it was the main street of the early Portuguese settlement.
Many of its older houses have been restored as souvenir shops conveniently clustered for the tourists visiting Fort Jesus. Further to the north, Mzizima Road was the main route between the Portuguese town and the original Arab/Shirazi town.
Another key thoroughfare of the Old Town was Vasco da Gama Street, which ran directly to the old dhow port from Fort Jesus and past the Mombasa Club. (Vasco da Gama was the first Portuguese to visit the town in 1498).
BIBI YA SHAFI
The street’s name was changed to Sir Mbarak al Hinawy Road. The Sheikh was one of the most prominent Omani Arabs living at the coast during the first half of the 20th century. From 1937 to 1941 he was the Liwali (Governor) of Mombasa — and from then until 1959 he was the Liwali of the Coast of Kenya.
He was decorated by both the Sultan of Zanzibar and the British Queen, who made him a Knight of the British Empire.
There are many Swahili names, of course — names such as Mnazi Mmoja and Mikindani Roads, signifying the surrounding palm tree plantations. There is Mlango wa Papa — presumably referring to a shark rather than the Pope! And who was Bibi ya Shafi?
As for street names in Nairobi, there are some in Mombasa that celebrate foreign champions of independence. Archbishop Makarios is remembered, for example, the first President of Cyprus after gaining independence from Britain in 1959. So is President Abdel Nasser of Egypt who tweaked the nose of Britain by nationalising the Suez Canal.
So if you have joined the very many who are holidaying at the Coast this Christmas time, then, after a surfeit of beach lounging, you might like to get some exercise exploring street names in the city. Enjoy!
