For decades, Mombasa’s fire department languished as a forgotten relic of colonial history. Established in 1945 by the British government, it suffered from neglect as successive governments failed to invest in its growth or modernisation.
During the era of the defunct Mombasa Municipal Council, the department lacked even the most basic firefighting equipment.
When emergencies struck, fire engines were either grounded or non-existent, leaving residents with little hope of an effective response. Even the onset of devolution in 2013 offered little immediate relief.
Former Governor Hassan Joho attempted to resuscitate the department, but progress was slow.
While his administration successfully professionalised the County Inspectorate Department, the fire unit remained on the back burner.
However, one man, Ibrahim Basafar, saw potential to transform the fire department where others had seen only failure.
Basafar’s journey into public service began in 2000, initially as an internal auditor, then as a public prosecutor in Lamu, before his transfer to Mombasa in 2007.
He joined the inspectorate as deputy chief officer under the Ministry of Local Government. Over the years, he earned a reputation for discipline, professionalism and a knack for transformation. In 2013, under the new county government, Basafar remained in the inspectorate and continued his work.
One of his proudest achievements was developing the Mombasa inspectorate department – headquartered in Tudor – into a national training hub.
“We were able to make the inspectorate vibrant. Many counties came to Mombasa for training,” Basafar recalled.
Later, he was reassigned to the traffic unit to tackle worsening congestion during peak hours. It was under his leadership that the now-famous “happy hour sessions” were introduced – allowing traffic to flow in one direction during peak hours for 10-minute intervals, effectively easing gridlock.
But in 2022, a new chapter began. Basafar was appointed to lead Mombasa’s fire department. In October of that year, Basafar accompanied the newly elected governor, Abdulswamad Nassir, to the city’s main fire station in the central business district. The conditions they found were appalling.
“There was no Chief Fire Officer’s office, no recreation centre, no classroom. Dormitories were in a terrible state – infested with bedbugs and lacking even paint or fans,” he said.
The fire station had only one functional engine, with a leaking tank. Hoses were broken, there was no fluorine-free foam (a type of environmentally safe firefighting foam) and firefighters lacked essential protective gear, including fire tunics and breathing apparatuses.
Furthermore, the department had no curriculum, control room, or operational systems.
“Worse still, the station had become a dumping ground for indiscipline officers from other departments,” he added.
Despite this grim picture, Basafar accepted the challenge and took over as County Fire Chief.
A few months into the job, a building near Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital caught fire.
The response highlighted the department’s dire state: one leaking engine and firefighters in mismatched attire.
One team member even wore a T-shirt emblazoned with “Manchester City Prisoner”.
“The governor joked that we’d brought in prisoners from Manchester,” Basafar remembered with a smile.
However, the humour masked a serious problem: the department was in urgent need of reform. Together, Basafar and governor Nassir resolved to transform Mombasa’s fire department into a model of emergency response.
In January 2023, the fire chief undertook a professional firefighting course in Kiambu, earning a Knec Fire Level Four certificate.
His aim was to lead by example and acquire advanced skills for the task ahead. Equipped with this new knowledge, he successfully lobbied for a larger budget for the department.
At the time, the department had 230 inactive staff. Basafar enrolled every staff member in mandatory fire training.
“Fire brigade is a military term. We had to instil discipline, training and professionalism.”
More than 100 officers were unable to adapt to the new regime and sought transfers to other departments. Those who remained diligently continued their training.
“Today, the department boasts 102 fully trained fire officers. They are skilled in firefighting, Osha standards, first aid and water rescue. Internal supervisory training has also been introduced,” he stated.
Mombasa now has a functional Emergency Operation Centre, managed by a senior Fire Officer, overseeing county-wide disaster responses.
When Basafar took over, only one fire engine was operational.
Today, five functional fire engines and one fully equipped rescue truck are in service.
Fire stations in Mvita, Likoni and Changamwe have been refurbished, and a new station in Kiembeni is 85 percent complete.
“We now have 60 new UK-standard fire tunics, 54 breathing apparatuses, high-pressure hoses and 10,000 litres of firefighting foam,” he reported.
Daily classes using a standardised curriculum are held at all three stations and over 50 per cent of officers are now fully equipped, with plans to reach 100 per cent in the next financial year.
The revamped department has already demonstrated its effectiveness.
Last month, the fire department played a crucial role in the controlled demolition of a dangerously tilting nine-storey building near Coast General Hospital.
This high-risk operation required evacuating residents within a 1.2-kilometre radius and deploying 17 ambulances and five fire engines on standby.
According to Basafar, being entrusted with commanding a unit in a military-led operation highlighted the level of trust the county and government had in him and his department.
“Mombasa’s fire engines were the first on site after demolition, dousing dust clouds and securing the scene,” he affirmed.
“Nothing beats the feeling of seeing our firefighters return safely with pride in their work.”
Two weeks later, in Bamburi, the department responded to a fatal septic tank collapse. A 54-year-old man fell 120 feet into the tank.
“We completed the recovery in just 36 hours,” Basafar said – a significantly faster response compared to the 14-day recovery period for a similar incident in Junda years prior.
This transformation has garnered attention.
During the 2025 Labour Day celebrations, the governor recognised seven outstanding fire and inspectorate officers.
“As a county, we are grateful. That’s why we’ve invested in state-of-the-art breathing equipment and protective gear,” Nassir said.
Further, the department has trained 60 officers from Kiambu, 40 from Nairobi, 98 from Tana River and more than 300 university students. Currently, 220 trainees are undergoing instruction at the Mombasa Inspectorate School.
In 2024 alone, the department conducted 52 school inspections and 50 community awareness sessions.
Future plans include establishing a fire station in Nyali, implementing a kitchen welfare programme for firefighters and offering promotions to outstanding officers.
With five fire trucks now operational and the Kiembeni station nearing completion, Mombasa is steadily progressing towards full emergency preparedness.
