Somali community holds festival to demystify negative stereotypes
Thousands of residents and merrymakers are thronging the Mama Ngina Waterfront to witness the third Firi Cultural Festival and Business Expo, where the Somali community showcases its cultural heritage.
Ahmed Mohamed, the organizer of the two-day festival, stated that Mombasa was chosen because of its richness in culture and tourism and as a gateway to East Africa.
“The Firi Festival and Business Expo aim to bring Somali culture to the rest of Kenya. As a community, we are greatly involved in enterprises within Kenya and beyond. Our richness is our diversity,” said Mohamed.
He noted that the idea behind the event is to promote co-existence and harmony between the communities living in the cosmopolitan port city.
“There is fear of the unknown. Some communities do not know what Somali culture entails; they only see the negative connotations associated with Somali people. We want to debunk and demystify those connotations and showcase the rich culture of the Somali community,” he explained.
County Commissioner (CC) Mohamed Nur said the county has been blessed with a plethora of activities, including the regional East African Community Parliamentary Games, conferences, and cultural festivals.
“There has been no insecurity incident. We will continue to beef up the security to ensure there is maximum security for all visitors to enjoy their stay and to return to their homes safely. No one should worry, we have deployed many officers in hotels, beaches and streets,” assured the CC.
He called for cooperation between the police and residents to combat crime.
The Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Somalia to Kenya, Jabril Abdulle, praised the organizers for combining entrepreneurship and culture in the festival.
He stated that the platform is important for presenting Somali culture and cuisine to Kenyans.
“This has been the culture of this beautiful city of Mombasa, where we have diverse cultures and people from different backgrounds and religions. There is a culture of integration,” said Abdulle.
The Ambassador was inspired by the active participation of young people in the festival and recommended that the festival be extended to other counties to allow more Kenyans to experience the beautiful Somali culture.
“Kenya is a diverse country and learning from each other is quite enriching,” he said adding, that the festival serves as an avenue to debunk some stereotypes about Somali people.
“This is an opportunity to learn first-hand about Somalia’s rich culture; its spirit of entrepreneurship is well known throughout the world, allowing Kenyans to fully appreciate and understand Somali culture,” explained Ambassador Abdulle.
He noted that the inclusion of Somalia in the EAC bloc will empower and enrich the people of East Africa collectively.
He urged the youth to learn about their cultures and take risks to venture into business.
Mombasa Somali Association Chairman Abdul Bahaj stated that the overarching purpose is to bring people together and foster unity among Somalis from the North Eastern part of Kenya who work and reside in the port city.
Bahaj noted that Somalis are known worldwide as astute businesspeople and have plans to construct their own hospitals and schools to cater for the less fortunate in the community.
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