Home of cultural diversity

The County is rich in cultural diversity and has two prominent cultural centres – Mekatilili wa Menza owned and managed by the Malindi District Cultural Association (MADICA) and Magarini Cultural Centre at Gongoni along the Malindi-Garsen Highway.

It is home to a diversity of cultural and traditional dances but the most famous one is the Namba Dance from Magarini by the Giriama community. The Namba dance is the dance of elders and has entertained VIPS including presidents at State House Nairobi and Mombasa and during many public celebrations.

You cannot miss the graceful dance at any major function in Malindi and Magarini districts. There is also the traditional Mwanzele dance that is most commonly found in traditional ceremonies including burial.

POLITICS:

The County is divided into five constituencies/districts which are Bahari, Ganze, Kaloleni, Malindi and Magarini with the latest boundaries proposals adding Kilifi South constituency.

The current Members of Parliament include a Cabinet Minister and two assistant ministers. They are Fisheries Development minister Mr Amason Jeffah Kingi (Magarini), assistant ministers Mr Francis Baya (Immigration, Ganze) and Mr Kazungu Kambi (Medical Services, Kaloleni). Others are Mr Gideon Mung’aro (Malindi) and Mr Benedict Gunda (Bahari).

The County is further divided into Malindi Municipal Council led by Mayor Samson Mapinga, Malindi County Council led by councillor Kingi Ngombo, Kilifi County Council led by Mr Antony Kingi, Kilifi Town Council led by Ms Esther Kache and Mariakani Town Council led by Mr Charo Dena.

Among the prominent personalities that have come out to declare interest for top regional governments seats in the area are:- Governor seat: Minister Amason Jeffah Kingi, Kilifi County Council chairman Mr Anthony Kingi, assistant minister Mr Francis Baya and Pwani University don Prof Chenje Mwachiro. Others are Mr John Safari Mumba and Mr John Lenga from Kambe.

For the senator seat, former long serving Cabinet minister Mr Noah Katana Ngala is in the race together with the most prominent Giriama woman at the moment Ms Naomi Cidi Kumbatha, former Tourism minister and Kaloleni MP Mr Morris Dzoro, Mr Joseph Kazungu Katana (KK), former Magarini MP Mr David Noti Kombe and Ms Patience Chome.

Kilifi County Council chairman Mr Kingi says, “The biggest challenges in our county are to improve education standards which are too low. The health of our people is also a priority; a healthy population is a healthy County”.

He says the local authority has built several health centres, dispensaries and maternity together with doctor’s residences. The people’s poverty has to be addressed through the revival of industries such as the Kilifi Cashew Nut factory.

Coconut oil and other products and the salt sector have to be processed locally to boost agriculture which is the backbone of the county’s economy and the general industry.

“Investors here should come and build factories to use the locally available raw materials instead of taking it away. Value addition must be done locally to create jobs,” he said.

The dormant cotton sector has to be revived and large scale irrigation initiated along the River Sabaki to utilise the water going to waste in order to improve food security instead of for ever relying on relief food supplies, he says.