Preparations for the first edition of the inaugural East Africa Ocean festivals slated in October in Mombasa County have started.
The festival is a premium three-day ocean sporting and entertainment event scheduled from October 18 to 20, 2024, set to celebrate not just the allure of the ocean but also the deep rooted maritime history of the captivating city of Mombasa and East Africa as a whole.
A co-founder of the festivals Hamisi Mwaguya who is also the Chairman Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) said that the event is a good platform for both local and foreign tourists to appreciate and celebrate the pivotal role that the ocean has played in the growth and development of major cities on the East African Coast.
Mwaguya said through trade and transport facilitated by the ocean, cities like Mombasa, Lamu and Dar es salaam among others have revitalised.
He noted that the celebrations are meant to celebrate the history and heritage, and also discuss more ways on how the ocean can be tapped and bring more revenue.
“We want to use these celebrations to showcase the potentials the ocean has in turning around the economy and improve the living standards of people living near it,” he said.
He added that the ocean can be used for business, tourism, transport, leisure among other economic activities urging other East African countries to attend the event and see the display of culture and identify areas they can invest in.
He noted that the hosting of the event in Mombasa county will put the county on the global spot as one of the top tourist destinations across the East Africa region.
According to Mwaguya, the festival will feature a variety of main activities designed to captivate and educate.
These include swimming, kayak competition, canoe racing, traditional dhow race, Jet-Ski competition, mini live concerts, boat show and parade and sailing.
He added that there will be a variety of side activities to enrich the guest’s experience including beach cleanup and mangrove restoration, underwater photography exhibition, fishing tournament charity event, Swahili art, history dance and flavours.
The main events will take place at the Tudor, Junda and Kibarani creeks.
He said that the intent is the ocean festival as an annual event as it will provide a platform to position Mombasa on the world map as a strategic business city.
“We are working with different partners including Magical Kenya, Kenya Maritimes Authority (KMA), Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), Kenya Airways Authority (KAA), Kenya Navy, Kenya Coast Guard, the county government of Mombasa, among others,” said Mwaguya.
He noted that Tanzania’s Zanzibar city has already been confirmed to be among the countries expected to participate in the competition.
He asked Kenyans to support the move in making the event a success by buying tickets at TEAOF.ORG for Sh500 for a single day to access the view points and seasoned tickets at Sh1000 for the three days.
He said that locals can also contribute in cleaning the water fronts and making sure there is proper use of plastic and restoration of the mangroves.
County Executive Committee Member for Trade and Tourism in Mombasa Osman Mohammed said that the county government will fully incorporate the ocean festivals in the tourism calendar of events.
Mohammed added that this step will be important in promoting tourism in the county as they partner with neighbouring countries to revive the sector.
He noted that they have formed the Mombasa Tourism Council and have been working around the clock to push tourism in Mombasa.
“The council is working with different stakeholders to promote Mombasa as the prime tourism destination across the East Africa Coast,” he said.
Kenya Coast Guard Services assured members of the public that security and rescue services will be provided in partnership with KMA.
“We will have many search and rescue boats at strategic places. We have also sourced for hotels for our tourists and security will be well provided,” said Susan Mtakai from Search and Rescue and Diving Unit.
By Chari Suche
