National Land Commission (NLC) chairman Mohammed Swazuri. [Photo/ capitalfm.co.ke]
The United Nations has threatened to delist Mombasa as a protected island.This comes following massive land reclamation that has turned the coastal city into a peninsula.National Land Commission (NLC) Chairman Mohammed Swazuri has said the UN warning was prompted by deliberate land reclamation that has defaced the historical status of the Island.“The UN conducts an audit of islands annually. It has threatened to delist Mombasa,” said Swazuri.Swazuri did not, however, indicate whether the UN had officially written to Kenya concerning the warning. He said the warning would have far-reaching consequences to Kenya if the threat is actualized, considering Mombasa is a tourism hub.The NLC chair stopped the reclamation of two acres of land at Fort Jesus by the National Museum of Kenya, terming the move as illegal.The said the ecological status of Mombasa and the entire Coast region was under threat due to an increased reclamation of land from the Indian Ocean.“We cannot allow the reclaiming of land here because of the historical importance and ecological status of this area. I have directed the NMK to stop it immediately,” said Swazuri, as quoted by the Standard.On his part, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho who admitted knowledge of the warning said his administration had approved construction of a seawall to protect Fort Jesus from rising tides that were eroding the ancient building and not reclamation.“We approved the construction of a seawall, but we will not allow land reclamation in that area,” said Joho.The county boss said he had asked the Kenya National Highway Authority to do away with the Kibarani causeway and plan construction of a bridge elsewhere.“The wanton reclamation of land from the ocean at Kibarani is something I will not allow to continue,” said Joho.