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Land commission now backs Fort Jesus seawall

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The construction of the seawall to secure Fort Jesus Museum at the Fort Jesus seafront. Photo | Kevin Odit | NMG

The National Land Commission has made an about-turn and allowed a State corporation to erect a seawall in the Indian Ocean.

However, the National Museums of Kenya (NMK), which manages museums, sites and monuments is to only restore a wall built by the Portuguese to protect Fort Jesus 500 years ago.

Muhammad Swazuri, the land commission chair, gave NMK a go-head to continue building the wall after a series of meetings with its officials and the Mombasa government.

He termed the construction a noble idea.

“Last week, we had condemned the construction because we were not involved or informed. But after the meetings we now legalise the construction and we support it.

"NLC is the manager and administrator of all public lands, meaning any activity undertaken on public land we must be involved or informed,” Prof Swazuri said.

READ: Sh498mn Fort Jesus wall brews row with Joho, NLC - VIDEO

Ecological areas

Out of the 62 NLC functions, Prof Swazuri said 11 involves protecting ecological sensitive areas, areas of historical, natural and cultural importance.

NMK had raised an alarm over threats on Fort Jesus, recognised as a Unesco World Heritage site, which was on the verge of being washed away by rising sea waves.

Climate change is threatening the famous Fort Jesus and other historic sites at the coast, including State House, NMK warned.

The body which carries out heritage research will need Sh1 billion to protect the threatened historical sites due to rising sea levels as a result of climate change.

Director-General Mzalendo Kibunjia said heritage sites and landmarks such as the Vasco da Gama Pillar in Malindi, Jumba la Mtwana site, Shanga in Lamu, Fort Jesus and the Old British Customs House in Vanga -- all along the shoreline, face an uncertain future due to rising sea levels.

“If something is not done, this heritage will in a few years come to an end. If in 500 years the sea has eroded almost two acres of land in front of Fort Jesus, I don’t know in the next 500 years how much will be eroded,” he warned.

Not peculiar

Dr Kibunjia added: “Soon we will start hearing cries. All the land around Mombasa Island including State House is facing a threat. It is not peculiar problem to Fort Jesus.

He breathed a sigh of relief when Prof Swazuri backed the Sh498 million project meant to safeguard Fort Jesus.

The seawall will take six months to be done.

“Some 500 years ago when Fort Jesus was built by the Portuguese the eye watermark, which should mark the boundary of this property, was 20 metres away from where it is today,” said Dr Kibunjia.

He added: “But in over 500 years it has eroded to the point where the eye watermark for Indian Ocean is at the base at the foundation of the fort. As a result cracks have started emerging at the fort and it is actually eating the base."

Speaking to journalists at the site, Dr Kibunjia said if a protective wall is not built around the monument, Fort Jesus would fall into the ocean very soon.

He reiterated that NMK is not reclaiming the ocean.

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A section of the Fort Jesus monument in Mombasa. FILE PHOTO | NMG

No real foundation

“There is no cause of alarm. We are restoring a wall that was actually built by the Portuguese 500 years ago to protect the fort.

"The Portuguese did not want the currents to be at the base of the fort because the monument has no real foundation. It was built on top of a coral or rock so if it continues being eroded it will fall down,” Dr Kibunjia said.

For the wall to be restored, Dr Kibunjia explained that there must be dry land.

“You cannot build when there is water... We are putting up a cofferdam around the construction site. The wall will be 20 metres away,” he added.

A cofferdam is the watertight enclosure which is built to allow construction work below the waterline, like when building bridges.

Dr Kibunjia said NMK needs Sh50 million to restore Vasco da Gama Pillar in Malindi.

"There are cracks at the foundation of the Fort Jesus. We are looking for money to restore other sites. At the Vasco da Gama Pillar in Malindi, we are working with the Portuguese on that," said Dr Kibunjia.

Leakey meeting

He welcomed a call by leading conservationist Dr Richard Leakey for a meeting to discuss about the historical sites under threat.

Dr Kibunjia said the seawall will protect the fort for another 500 years.

"Dr Leakey said the problem of soil erosion is real. He was only concerned how we are solving it and I welcome his suggestion. I am a very happy man.

"You can imagine if this fort collapsed while I am the director-general at NMK, my legacy would be finished," he insisted.

Last week, Dr Leakey praised Prof Swazuri and Mombasa governor Hassan Joho for stopping the building of a sea wall in the Indian Ocean.

Dr Leakey, who is the Kenya Wildlife Service chairman, said the landfill in front of Fort Jesus, being done by the NMK, was wrong.