@ppcheti
Historical tombs in Lamu are being encroached upon, eyed by private developers and some are even being turned into dumpsites.
The National Museums of Kenya has raised the alarm, saying tombs as old as 400 years and integral to Lamu's history are at risk of being grabbed by private developers.
The NMK's Lamu curator Mohamed Mwenje said on Monday tombs at risk include the 200-year-old resting place of Mui Zahid Mngumi in Langoni area.
Also at risk is that of Mwana Hadie Famau in Mkomani area, which is more than 400 years old.
Lamu is a Unesco World Heritage Site because of its generally well-preserved Swahili culture and architecture. But many monuments are under threat.
Zahid Ngumi was the patron of the Lamu Old Town and is famously known for building the Lamu Fort between 1813 and 1821.
Mwana Hadie Famau is referred to as the Saint of Lamu due to her powerful religious beliefs.
Also in danger is the 14th century Pillar Tomb in Gadeni area within Lamu Old Town.
All three tombs are all key tourist attractions.
Speaking in Lamu, Mwenje said despite the NMK’s efforts to secure title deeds for the land where these tombs are located, community members are notorious for encroaching.
Encroachment poses a great challenge to conservation and preservation, he said.
The NMK has been embroiled in a dispute in Pate Island in Lamu East as it tries to protect historical ruins that the community calls its ancestral lands.
“It's quite a challenge but we are determined to protect such sites at all costs because if we don’t, we will lose a lot in terms of cultural identity and tourism," Mwenje said.
He said the community had turned some historical tombs into dumping sites and said they are in dire need of assessment and clean-up.
“When people dump garbage on such sites, what they don’t know is that it raises the cost of preserving them,"he said.
Lamu is home to hundreds of sites and monuments, mostly inaccessible due to their remote locations.
Of all the 47 counties, Lamu has the highest number of historical monuments and buildings.
Lamu Old Town is a major tourist attraction site at the Coast. It is the oldest surviving town in East Africa with over 700 years of continuous human habitation. It is also the only Swahili settlement to retain its original architecture and ambience.
(Edited by V. Graham)
