Governor Abdulswamad Nassir with the Majengo Community Organisation members at Sakina Hall in Majengo on Saturday / BRIAN OTIENO
Majengo area in Mombasa is known for all the wrong reasons—from panga-wielding juvenile gangs, drugs, to robbery with violence.
However, a group of residents have formed an organisation to change that image, saying the area has also produced top-notch doctors, architects, scientists and politicians.
Majengo Community Organisation (MCO) was launched on Saturday to change the image of the area and help point the youth in the right direction.
Chairman Abdalla Ibrahim said the idea got traction after members of the Majengo community fought hard to save the Ziwani Lasco ground from attempted grabbing.
“After the success of our mission, we thought we should have a structured way within which we, as the community, can come together to fight for other matters,” Ibrahim said.
The Ziwani Lasco ground was the main playground in the area from the 1970s and most of the famous footballers from the Coast trained there.
They include Kenya’s national football team Harambee Stars’ goalkeepers, Mahmoud Abbas and Mohamed Magogo.
“We also want to use the organisation to help our youth have the right mentality so they can grow up knowing they can make it without necessarily using pangas to hack people,” Ibrahim said.
He said the youth in Majengo need guidance from the elders so they can help the society grow financially, socially and religiously.
“There are many great people from Majengo. It is not only bad things that come from Majengo, even the good things do come from Majengo," Ibrahim said.
“We have architects, doctors, engineers, lecturers, and lawyers from Majengo. They come from the same environment that the panga-wielding boys come from. This means it is possible to reform these bad apples.”
MCO vice chairperson Shabir Nurdin said the organisation wants to empower the community to be independent and work together to achieve their goals.
He said if the community comes together, they can do anything meaningful.
“We don’t have to always depend on the government to have our things sorted out. We can also do something as a community to help get our things done,” Nurdin said.
He urged all other communities in Old Town, Tudor, Kisauni, Bamburi, and other neighbourhoods in Mombasa county to be active in championing their own issues.
“The problem with us as Mombasa people is we leave everything to be done by our politicians. We do not want to play any role as a community,” he said.
“That is why we see our young people getting into the streets. It is because they have not been properly guided on how they can be independent.”
Tudor MCA Samir Bhaloo said the organisation has shown a great example and would like it to be emulated in his Tudor area.
“What we have seen in Majengo is something that should be exemplified. It is remarkable and shows that people with an idea can always get to where they want to go,” he said.
Bhaloo said depending on politicians and other people to get what one wants is not encouraged.
Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir said a structural approach towards solving communal problems will always be the best way to solve such matters.
He commended the Majengo community for their effort in trying to show a good example of what communities should do.
“Majengo is my home. I am proud of what you people have achieved because it brings back good old memories,” Nassir said.
He pledged support for the MCO, saying communities in different parts of Mombasa county have to borrow a leaf from the Majengo community.
He said playgrounds are key to the well-being of community members.
“These children, when you see them taking to the streets, it is because they feel they are not being guided or listened to,” Nassir said.
INSTANT ANALYSIS:
Many playgrounds in Mombasa have been grabbed. The few remaining ones belong to individuals whom are claiming them back.
This has led to the rise of criminal juvenile gangs, with Mombasa having the highest number at 73 gangs out of the 309 across the country.
