The National Museums of Kenya needs Sh50 million to rehabilitate two ancient mosques on the brink of collapse.
The Pwani and Siyu mosques in Lamu Old Town have been around for close to 700 years and are gazetted as national monuments but remain in active use.
The two are an important part of the history of Old Town which was listed by Unesco in 2001 owing to its well-preserved culture and heritage.
Siyu mosque is the largest of the two with a capacity of 600 while the Pwani mosque has a 500-person capacity.
Lamu has more than 10 historical mosques located within the archaeological sites in the region.
Speaking on Tuesday, NMK curator in charge of Lamu Museums and World Heritage site Mohamed Mwenje said most of the mosques are in dire need of restoration and preservation.
For the longest time, management of these mosques has been in the hands of the communities who are unable to consistently keep up with the required pace of restoration and preservation due to poverty.
Mwenje said the NMK was partnering with residents to reach out to conservation enthusiasts and well-wishers to raise the Sh50 million needed for the two mosques.
“Sections of these mosques are worn out and are collapsing. We are trying to come in and ensure they don’t collapse as that will prove hard to restore. We are in the process of sourcing for funds,” said Mwenje.
Pwani mosque Imam Abdullah Swaleh Abdulrahman termed the move as long overdue.
“We need to preserve these mosques not just because they are places of worship but because they are our heritage," said Abdulrahman.
Other historical mosques in Lamu in dire need of restoration are the Jamia in Shella, Friday mosque in Siyu, the Takwa Friday, Shanga, Mwenye Kombo in Pate island, Ishakani, Manda, Ungwana and Shalafatani in Faza island.
These mosques are all overseen by the NMK as part of the county’s sites and monuments.
Of all the 47 counties, Lamu has the highest number of historical monuments and buildings.
Lamu Old Town remains a key tourist attraction site at the Coast region owing to its effortlessly preserved culture and heritage spanning decades.
Today, the town stands as the oldest surviving town in East Africa with over 700 years of continuous human habitation.
-Edited by SKanyara
