Lamu traders pleased with returns from Maulid festival
The decorated Riyadha Mosque which was the venue for this year's to mark this year's Maulid Festival in Lamu county.
Business owners have urged Lamu County officials to revive all annual festivals after making profits in the recently concluded Maulid festival.
The three-day event is marked yearly by some Muslims to remember the birth of Prophet Muhammed in the holy city of Mecca in 570 AD.
The festival is marked every third month of the Islamic calendar and is held at the Riyadha mosque, the longest-functioning and most influential Islamic teaching institution on the East African Coast.
This year’s festival drew over 7,000 guests from as far away as Oman, the Comoro Islands, Tanzania and Uganda.
Local visitors came from Tana River, Malindi, Kilifi, Mombasa, Nairobi, Nakuru, and other counties.
Nation.Africa established that hoteliers, boat operators, tour guide operators, boutique owners, and hawkers were among the biggest earners from this year’s festival, held in Lamu Old Town, a Unesco World Heritage site.
Local airlines with daily trips to Lamu also made profits as thousands flew in for the festival and trickled back after the festival ended last weekend.
Shekuwe Bwanamkuu, a restaurant owner in Lamu, said he had plenty of customers in the three days, selling amounts of food and refreshments equivalent to what he would normally sell in two months.
“I am happy that the Maulid festival was a blessing to us. The demand for services at my joint was high throughout the festival. I sold a lot and gained lots of profit. We need such festivals to be organised frequently here,” Mr Bwanamkuu said.
Abdallah Twalib, a boat operator in Lamu Town, acknowledged that the event generally boosted the water transport business owing to the influx of guests and tourists to the archipelago for the festival.
He said on normal days, he makes only three to four trips a day but during the three days of the Maulid festival, he made eight to 10 trips a day.
“We’ve made some quick money in just three days of Maulid. The demand for boat transport has been high and that meant more money for us. We welcome more such events and festivals to uplift our economy and living standards,” said Mr Twalib.
Traders from the mainland areas of Mpeketoni, Hindi, Mokowe, and the far-flung islands of Kizingitini, Faza, Pate and Mkokoni went home with fat wallets from the sale of simple Swahili meals like roasted potatoes, grilled beef skewers (mishkaki), coconut water (madafu) and seafood.
Lali Badi, who sells grilled beef skewers, hiked his prices from the normal Sh20 to Sh50 a stick.
“It was a time of fun and at the same time to make profits for our businesses. I was overwhelmed and sold over 500 pieces of beef skewers. Business was really good,” said Mr Badi.
Traders from neighbouring Tana River and Kilifi counties also made a fortune from the festival.
Travel agent Omar Mohamed said his company made almost twice what they make in a normal month.
“The business generally recorded massive success during this year’s Maulid festival,” said Mr Mohamed.
Attendees were colourfully entertained with local traditional dances, including Goma, Kirumbizi, Uta and Twari la Ndiya, a traditional dance with origins in Pate.
Visitors also witnessed the famed donkey, dhow and swimming races in the Lamu seafront on Thursday followed by processions on Friday afternoon.
Other entertainments to signify the climax of Maulid included Quran Kareem Memorisation at the Riyadha mosque grounds and the Mkunguni Square.
Festival attendees also benefited from a free medical camp organised by the Riyadha Health and Welfare Services Group, which brought tens of medical specialists from Mombasa, Nairobi and other places.
The services provided throughout the festival included free cancer screening, eye cataract surgeries and blood pressure tests.
Over 500 locals and guests were treated during this year’s free Maulid medical camp held at King Fahd County Hospital in Lamu town.
