The Mama Ngina Waterfront is poised to witness a beehive of activities on Saturday as the inaugural Mijikenda Cultural event takes centre stage.
Organizers have assured residents and visitors that the one-day event, will be a one-of-a-kind festival as the community will showcase its rich cultural heritage.
The festival aims to create awareness for the youth living in urban settings to know their cultures.
Mijikenda is made up of the Giriama, Digo, Chonyi, Kambe, Duruma, Kauma, Ribe, Rabai, and Jibana ethnic groups.
Organizing Secretary of the Mijikenda Festivals Planning Committee, Japhet Mwanzuga welcomed people from all walks of life to the event.
“They should come in numbers; we celebrate our cultures. The event will be yearly; this is just the beginning but we don’t want politics, we want to showcase our cultures,” stated Mwanzuga.
Ken Lwambi, said they will showcase their unique Mijikenda products like Gonda, Sengenya, and Manzele (songs and dances).
Lwambi noted that the event is a renaissance of the Mijikenda culture that has been deserted for many years.
“Mnazi (traditional Mijikenda brew) will be there, and coconut water. The security has been heightened for the event,” he said.
Juma Lubambo said the preparations are in top gear and attendees will enjoy them. He reiterated that the event is not political but a cultural one.
“We call upon all the people to come and witness Mijikenda community culture. I know there have been rumours that maybe we have been sponsored by a certain politician. This is no one’s group, any Mijikenda politician who will attend should desist from politics,” he said.
The politicians, he added will only be allowed to talk about the Mijikenda culture and how to ensure it grows in Mombasa.
The Committee’s Chairman, Ramadhan Beja, said the cultural event is one of the avenues for reviving tourism in the Port City.
He called for unity among Mijikenda leaders to cooperate and opined that the event will bring them together.
“We condemn constant squabbles between leaders, we want them to unite, work together and assist each other as a community to uplift those at the bottom, the small-scale business people,” he said.
By Sadik Hassan
