Publications
Kenya Coastal and Marine Tourism Resilience: A Victim of Resource Curse Dynamics?
Kenya's coastal tourism, despite its abundant marine and cultural resources, suffers from a 'resource curse' characterized by stagnation and vulnerability. Weak governance, elite capture of benefits, neglect of complementary sectors, and institutional fragility have hindered inclusive growth, mirroring classic natural resource curse dynamics. These factors undermine the region's competitiveness and resilience to shocks. To address this, the study recommends strengthening multi-level governance, diversifying tourism products, investing in local human capital, and safeguarding environmental assets. Implementing these strategies is crucial for converting Kenya's rich endowments into broad-based prosperity within the Blue Economy framework.
Muscat at Zanzibar
A historical account reveals the complex dynamics of Fort Jesus, Mombasa, during a 19th-century conflict involving Arab and British forces. The study highlights how the fort, a Portuguese stronghold, became entangled in regional power struggles, with its strategic significance underscored by the presence of a makeshift British flag during a cannonade in February 1824. The research approach combines narrative history with geographic analysis, mapping key locations to contextualize the events. This work contributes to understanding the fort's role as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, illustrating its importance in colonial and maritime history.
Photogrammetric 3D Digitisation of Bajuni and Pokomo Cultural Artefacts: A 65-Artefact Proof-of-Concept at Fort Jesus, Kenya
A proof-of-concept study demonstrates the feasibility of photogrammetric 3D digitisation for preserving cultural artefacts under resource constraints, using 65 Bajuni and Pokomo artefacts from Fort Jesus, Kenya. The research established a locally executable workflow combining photographic capture (7,283 images across 44 artefacts), Structure-from-Motion processing, and dense Multi-View Stereo reconstruction, with 3DF Zephyr Lite selected for its cost-effectiveness and hardware compatibility. The study highlights the socio-technical challenges of museum digitisation, including software coordination, metadata management, and quality assurance, while providing a foundation for future digital heritage applications such as multilingual access and immersive engagement.
Minero-petrographical, chemical and physical characterisation of the ancient mortars from Fort Jesus Heritage Site, In Mombasa, Kenya
Incompatible restoration mortars are accelerating the degradation of Fort Jesus. A study analyzing eight mortar samples from different wall locations revealed that ancient binders were primarily lime-based, mixed with varying clay content and fine sea sand aggregates. The binder-to-aggregate ratio ranged from 1:2.4 to 1:6.8, reflecting distinct production methods used by the Portuguese (1593), Omani (1698), and Museum of Kenya (2001). Techniques like X-ray powder diffraction, optical microscopy, X-ray fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy identified high-carbonated calcite as the dominant binder and quartz as the fine aggregate. The research highlights that modern cement-based restoration practices have exacerbated degradation, providing critical insights for developing compatible conservation strategies to preserve Fort Jesus.
The Conservation Imperative: Developing a Framework for Climate Change Adaptation in Coastal Heritage Conservation—A Study of Monuments in Kenya
Coastal heritage sites, such as Kenya's Fort Jesus in Mombasa, face severe threats from climate change, including sea-level rise and erosion, leading to structural decay and cultural damage. A new study identifies a critical gap in current conservation practices and proposes a holistic framework for climate adaptation. This four-component approach—vulnerability assessment, risk management, community engagement, and policy integration—combines engineering solutions with traditional methods while ensuring local participation and regulatory alignment. The research, employing mixed-methods including on-site observations and expert interviews, offers a practical model for safeguarding vulnerable heritage sites against climate-induced degradation.
Inland Villages and Oceanic Empires (Chapter 4)
A 1720 advice letter from Portuguese India's outgoing viceroy to his successor reveals critical insights into the dynamics of oceanic empires and their interactions with inland communities. The letter highlights the strategic importance of Mombasa, a port city lost to Oman in 1698, emphasizing its wealth in ivory, wax, ambergris, and tortoise shell. It also underscores the role of monsoons in shaping oceanic travel and the circulation of goods like textiles between East Africa, Arabia, Persia, and South Asia. Notably, the letter suggests that the Mijikenda-speaking communities (referred to as 'Musunglo') on Mombasa's mainland were favorably inclined toward the Portuguese, indicating potential alliances. The study provides a nuanced perspective on the rivalries between the Portuguese and Omani empires, offering a glimpse into the complex trading networks of the Indian Ocean during this period.
Introduction. Inland from Mombasa
Archaeological and historical evidence reveals that the forested upland ridges inland from Mombasa, Kenya, served as a long-standing refuge for lithic-using groups dating back at least 78,000 years. While coastal settlements flourished and evolved into key Islamic trading hubs like Mombasa by the second millennium CE, the Mijikenda-speaking communities persisted in the interior, offering a unique vantage point to study East Africa's interconnected oceanic world. This study synthesizes archaeological data with historical texts, including early Arabic geographic references and Ibn Battuta's 14th-century observations, to challenge misconceptions about Mombasa's mainland connections and highlight the enduring presence of inland communities in shaping regional history.
The Mazrui Dynasty
The Mazrui Dynasty, an Omani family that settled in East Africa between 1741 and 1837, significantly contributed to the spread of Islam and Arabian culture along the region's coast. This study highlights their pivotal role by tracing their origins, migration motives, and establishment in Mombasa, while also examining their efforts in promoting Islam. The research reveals substantial interactions between Islamic civilization and East African societies during this period, which facilitated the expansion of both religion and cultural influence across the region.
Comparing Perceptions: Westerners and Kenyans Facing Swahili Tangible Cultural Heritage. An Inquiry on Gede, Mnarani, and Jumba La Mtwana Ruins
A striking disparity exists between the perception of Swahili coastal ruins as valuable heritage by Western tourists and their limited significance to local Kenyan communities, particularly the Mijikenda. While international guidebooks tout these 10th–18th century stone settlements—such as Gede, Mnarani, and Jumba La Mtwana—as must-see landmarks, a survey reveals that most locals rarely visit them and do not strongly associate them with coastal identity. The study suggests that contemporary snake parks integrated into these ruins, while popularizing the sites abroad, may overshadow their historical and cultural value for local populations. This research highlights the need to explore whether new connections between communities and tangible heritage are being fostered or if alternative interpretations of the past could bridge this perceptual gap.
L’histoire des Mbotela de Frere Town : histoire(s) et récits d’une famille de « rescapés » de Mombasa (Kenya, xixe-xxie siècles)
The Mbotela family of Frere Town, Mombasa, exemplifies the complex legacy of slavery and its aftermath in Kenya. Descendants of freed slaves, they adopted European-imposed identities while navigating colonial structures, occupying early African roles in public service. Their history, traced through oral testimonies from 2000s interviews cross-referenced with colonial archives, reveals a dual narrative: both a critique of enduring stigma and a reclamation of identity tied to slavery's heritage. James Juma Mbotela's 1934 kiswahili work, Uhuru wa watumwa, further highlights this tension, glorifying British anti-slavery efforts while subtly challenging colonial narratives. The study underscores how individual and familial trajectories intersect with broader national identity, illustrating the enduring impact of slavery on Kenyan society.
African Maritime Archaeology
African maritime archaeology reveals the continent's profound and enduring engagement with global maritime affairs, spanning from the Middle Stone Age to modern times. Key findings include the earliest evidence of human marine resource exploitation at South African sites like Klasies River Mouth and Pinnacle Point, where the use of marine resources coincided with symbolic behavior and advanced stone tool technology. The study also highlights the significant impact of changing sea levels due to Ice Ages and tectonic movements on coastal archaeological sites. Additionally, it explores the evolution of maritime trade, from ancient Egyptian plank-built boats to the rise of Swahili port cities like Kilwa and Mombasa during the medieval period, and the construction of Portuguese forts such as Fort Jesus in Mombasa. The research approach combines geomorphological analysis with historical documentation, including Classical texts like the Periplus Maris Erythraei and Ptolemy’s Geographia, to interpret the functioning of African maritime societies within their environmental and cultural contexts.
Ni Mvita ni Mvita?: Uchanganuzi wa Usuli wa Toponimi za Mitʰaa ya Mambasa, Kenya
Toponyms in Mombasa, Kenya, reflect deep linguistic and environmental connections that have evolved over time. This study reveals that the origins of place names in Mombasa's neighborhoods are distinct from those in other Kenyan coastal languages like Kimvit̪a, Kimijikenra, and Kipokomo, yet share similarities with Bantu languages from mainland Kenya. The research demonstrates that historical place names were closely tied to environmental features, while modern names increasingly reference buildings or objects. By analyzing data from elders and comparing it with established linguistic frameworks, the study provides new insights into the semantic diversity of Mombasa's toponyms, offering a fresh perspective on their historical significance and cultural heritage.
A museum, like a tomb, is a whole theatre of weird temporality: an interview with Sofia Samatar
Sofia Samatar's short story 'Ogres of East Africa' explores the concept of 'weird temporalities,' where multiple timeframes intersect and clash, creating a complex narrative structure. The story, set in Mombasa during a famine year, follows Alibhai Moosajee, a translator and scribe, as he compiles a catalogue of ogres for a European hunter. The narrative weaves together oral histories, historical events, and speculative futures, reflecting on themes of trauma, modernity, and cultural encounters. Samatar's work challenges conventional temporal narratives, offering a sophisticated exploration of how different timeframes can coexist and interact within a single story.
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