This archive report was first published on 10 July 2019.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho visited the Mama Ngina Waterfront project on July 9, 2019, where officials said this year's celebrations would be held.
Mombasa County is set to host this year's Mashujaa Day celebrations on October 20, joining four counties that have traditionally hosted national celebrations in Nairobi.
The county joins Kakuru, Kakamega, Machakos, and Narok in hosting the celebrations, which are usually held in Nairobi.
Despite delays in completing the Sh460 million project, President Kenyatta expressed his satisfaction with the progress made by Mombasa County in setting up the recreational park.
The Mama Ngina Waterfront Park project, which was commissioned on January 7, 2019, was initially supposed to be completed by May 31, but its completion has been delayed due to changes in designs.
The project sits on a 26-acre parcel of land facing the Indian Ocean and aims to restore Mombasa's glory as a leading tourist destination in the region.
During the launch of the project, President Kenyatta issued a 150-day deadline to the contractor, Suhufi Agencies Limited, to finish the project.
However, two months into the project, the Ministry of Tourism introduced changes to the initial designs, forcing the contractor to wait for further instructions, which slowed down the progress of the work.
Despite the delays, the contractor has made progress in constructing the state-of-the-art amphitheater, the Kilindini Cultural Centre, the Pigeon Towers, the leisure walk-ways, the ablution blocks, and the two main gates leading to the park.
