Plans are underway for construction of a museum and an industrial park at Mamburui village in Magarini Sub- County of Kilifi County, Kenya, in honor of Zheng He, one of the Chinese ancient sailors, mariner, fleet admiral, and explorer who docked in the area in 1400 AD, which is approximately over 600 years ago.
This was revealed by Dan Kazungu, Kenya’s ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania. According to Mr. Kazungu, the Kenya China Chamber of Commerce (KCCC), a non-profit organization whose objective is to facilitate business cooperation, accelerate trade, encourage investment in Kenya, and promote friendship and co-operation between the Chinese and Kenyan people through the promotion of cultural exchanges, has indicated plans to dispatch a delegation to the historical site before embarking on the mission.
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“I have been talking to some friends from the Asian country who are thinking of coming to see for themselves the route that the great sailor Zheng (He) took from China to come and dock here in Malindi during those early days of trade and exploration,” said the Kenya’s envoy to Tanzania.
The museum and industrial park at Mamburui to promote tourism and economic development in Kilifi
According to Mr. Kazungu, the Chinese are keen to make Mamburui and Kilifi County in general, one of their favorite tourism destinations for holiday as part of an endeavor to celebrate their centuries-old heritage in the region.
The museum will not only promote tourism and culture but also the Kenya-China relations that date back to the Zheng He days, and that has served the East African country very well over the decades.
“This is a place of tourism, it’s a place of culture it’s a place of economic development, and my friends from China are keen to bring this kind of development to our region,” said the former Mining Cabinet Secretary who also served as Malindi MP adding that during his initial meeting, he learned that the Chinese usually tour Maasai Mara National Park, but this will change with the planned establishment of the historical center in Kilifi.
