This archive report was first published on 6 January 2020.
On Christmas Eve, 2019, about 100 business people began operating from new stalls at the renovated Mama Ngina Waterfront in Mombasa County.
According to traders, the environment is now cleaner and more modern, but they expressed disappointment that the stalls were not built near the ocean, as their customers are accustomed to.
Salim Bawaziri, deputy chairman of the Mama Ngina Recreational Park Traders Association, noted that business remains low despite the area's upgrade.
He suggested that future stalls be constructed near the sea shore to better serve customers.
‘We were allocated the stalls, but the space is very small, and we've been forced to display some of our products outside. Additionally, when businesses deal in similar products, it becomes challenging to sell,’ Bawaziri added.
Traders, however, expressed gratitude to the government for allowing them to operate at the park during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
‘We benefited from the festive season as visitors and locals flocked to the park. Although business has slowed down, we are waiting for more tourists and other visitors,’ said Kennedy Mwambulu, a trader.
Antony Muthiani, a tourist, praised the park's cleanliness, saying he was pleasantly surprised by the upgrade.
