Mombasa residents Bakari Ali and Brian Otieno enjoy themselves at the Makupa roundabout on Saturday / BRIAN OTIENO
Mombasa Cement’s Gulam Salim at the Makupa roundabout on Saturday / BRIAN OTIENO
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Holidaymakers entering Mombasa are being treated to a spectacle at the Makupa roundabout with decorations that turn the county into a ‘mini-New York’.

The roundabout has become a centre of attraction at night, as the decorations create a perfect spot for photo sessions.

“Every year, we decorate this Makupa roundabout. This is usually meant to attract more guests and beautify the county so that it appeals to the eye,” Gulam Salim, Mombasa Cement officer in charge of the decorations, said.

“We will ensure all roundabouts in Mombasa are decorated. We have had requests for some other places to be decorated and we are going to honour those requests.”

He asked holidaymakers, especially the locals, to take care of the decorations and the county by ensuring cleanliness is observed.

“This is to ensure we make Mombasa beautiful and honour the legacy of our boss the late Hasmukh Patel,” Salim said on Saturday evening at the roundabout.

His sentiments were echoed by the Mombasa Tourism Council, which said beauty goes hand in hand with cleanliness.

MTC chair Sam Ikwaye said the decorations add value to the county as a tourist destination.

“It makes Mombasa Instagrammable. You can take photos and upload on Instagram, which will attract more visitors,” Ikwaye told the Star on the phone on Tuesday.

Ikwaye said hoteliers have also shown their willingness to work with the county government to ensure the county is clean and welcoming.

“Hoteliers are always ready to support the county in whatever makes the county work better. They will sort their own waste and make it easier for the waste collectors,” Ikwaye said.

The county has acquired modern compactor trucks so that waste can be collected faster and more efficiently.

He called on residents to also take the lead and ensure there is no littering in the county.

“The cleaner the county is, the more it attracts visitors who bring in business to the county and improve the economy of the county,” Ikwaye said.

This festive season has busied the city, with events being held almost every day, attracting local and international tourists.

“Mama Ngina has been busy throughout the festive season. Shelly Beach in Likoni has events every now and then. This means Mombasa is attracting more and more visitors which is good for tourism,” the MTC chair said.

Ahmed Mohamed, a Tudor resident, said the Makupa roundabout is strategically positioned and cannot be missed by visitors coming into or going out of Mombasa at night.

The roundabout is surrounded by public spaces including two churches.

“This means when people go to church for night prayers, they will see the beautiful lighting. This is why every night there are hundreds of people taking photos here,” Ahmed said.

Michael Festus, a Mikindani resident, said he brought his three children to the roundabout to take photos.

“They enjoy it a lot. They have been asking me to bring them here but I always thought it was unnecessary until their mother begged me to do it. Now I see how much it means to them,” Festus said.

Instant Analysis:

Every year, Mombasa Cement decorates the Makupa roundabout as the children of the late Hasmukh Patel, the founder and owner of the company continue their father’s legacy.