Mombasa, KENYA: Mombasa residents have expressed mixed reactions over the bronze sculptures and plastic grass that has been planted along various strategic points in the city.
The artificial turf in parts of the city was introduced in a project meant to give the county a face lift.
However, a section of residents who spoke to Baraka FM argued that the city is at an environmental risk as well as its choice of animal sculptures not having any link to the country’s wildlife pride.
These comments were well echoed by the Kenya Tourism Board chair Mohamed Hersi who was last week reacting to the placing of bronze sculptures at the decommissioned Kibarani dumping site.
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“A park is where you have benches and go to relax. Giving us sculptures of wildebeests in Mombasa is a No No. Marine life is facing serious dangers, why not focus on endangered marine life? Use the same to help our children learn about marine life. Set a marine theme around it .” Hersi said.
Hersi’s comments were echoed by Mombasa businesswoman Joyce Kilua who felt that the plastic grass was harmful to the environment.
” Flowerbeds are better because plastic is harmful to the environment,” Kilua said.
A section of the public, however, is in full support of the ongoing beautification project and have urged the county government to keep up with what they call good work while.
Mark Mwinyi, a businessman said that he is happy that the county government has taken it up to beautify Mombasa which has brought about attraction to both the local and international tourist.
” The beautification has changed the face of Mombasa and I think it will attract more local and foreign
tourists” Mwinyi said.
Mombasa’s county governor Hassan Joho has however urged its residents to support the facelift and laud the county’s efforts in creating a new look for the city.
The project comes amidst a sh 460 million waterfront upgrade project at the Mama Ngina Drive that is meant to bring a major boost in the county’s tourism sector, the expansion of roads among many others.
For a long time the county has been regarded to be one of the dirtiest cities in the country, however, this has made a turnaround starting with the re-painting of buildings within the CBD, to the fixing of street cabro pavements in the central business district and now the introduction of carpeted grass and animal sculptures.
