The National Museums of Kenya (NMK) has laid down plans to construct a Sh.300million waterfront recreational park in Mombasa adjacent to the historic Fort Jesus.
The NMK Director General (DG), Mzalendo Kibunjia said the effort to build the seafront park comes after the completion of a Sh.497 million structurally sound seawall at the landmark fort.
Dr. Kibunjia who was on a tour of heritage sites in the coastal city said the development of a ‘scenic beachfront public park’ will greatly enhance the appeal of fort Jesus as a world heritage site.
“The construction of the concrete seawall at fort Jesus was the first phase of fortification effort of the iconic fort Jesus and now we are beginning the second phase which is a waterfront park,” said Dr. Kibunjia.
He added that the waterfront park is designed to provide a variety of public spaces for recreation and opportunities for the public to enjoy the waterfront location and special events and appreciate the views of the ocean and the iconic fort Jesus.
The Fort, built by the Portuguese in 1593-1596 to the designs of Giovanni Battista Cairati to protect the port of Mombasa, is one of the most outstanding and well preserved examples of 16th Portuguese military fortification and a landmark in the history of this type of construction.
The legal protection system for the property is adequate: Fort Jesus, Mombasa, was originally designated a National Park in 1958, the protected area included the Fort itself and a 100-meter strip around it; today it falls under the National Museums and Heritage Act, 2006.
The buffer zone has been formally declared a Conservation Area, however, a discrepancy between the size of the designated Conservation Area and the size of the Buffer Zone has not been amended yet.
A satisfactory management plan has been put in place for the property with the National Museums of Kenya acting as the key stakeholder in its conservation and safeguarding.
Long-term conservation and management issues include the protection of the Fort from urban encroachment and inappropriate design in the areas adjacent to the Fort and in the surrounding Mombasa Old Town.
