Msambweni (meaning "land of Msambwe") in Swahili) is a small fishing town and

constituency An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger State (polity), state (a country, administrative region, ...

Kwale County Kwale County is a county in the former Coast Province of Kenya. Its capital is Kwale, although Ukunda is the largest town. Kwale county has an estimated population of 649,931. Kwale is mainly an inland county, but it has coastline south of Mo ...

of southeastern Kenya, formerly in Kwale District of

Coast Province The Coast Province ( sw, Mkoa wa Pwani) of Kenya, along the Indian Ocean, was one of Kenya's eight provinces. It comprises the Indian Ocean coastal strip with the capital city at Mombasa and was inhabited by the Mijikenda and Swahili, among oth ...

. The origin of the name, Msambwe (plural Misambwe) is a hardy and wild fruits () tree indigenous to Msambweni. A few remnants of the Msambwe trees are still existing at Mkunguni Beach, Sawa Sawa Village. By road, Msambweni is south of

Mombasa Mombasa ( ; ) is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean. It was the first capital of the British East Africa, before Nairobi was elevated to capital city status. It now serves as the capital of Mombasa County. The town is ...

and northeast of Lunga Lunga on the

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...

n border. As of 2009, the town had a population of 11,985 people.

Fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

is the primary source of income, although

coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...

palm, buxa coloring,See

Bixa orellana ''Bixa orellana'', also known as achiote, is a shrub native to Central America. ''Bixa orellana'' is grown in many countries worldwide. The tree is best known as the source of annatto, a natural orange-red condiment (also called or ) obtained ...

cashew nut The cashew tree (''Anacardium occidentale'') is a tropical evergreen tree native to South America in the genus ''Anacardium'' that produces the cashew seed and the cashew apple accessory fruit. The tree can grow as tall as , but the dwarf cult ...

s and

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...

s are produced for trade. Because of its

reef A reef is a ridge or shoal of rock, coral or similar relatively stable material, lying beneath the surface of a natural body of water. Many reefs result from natural, abiotic processes— deposition of sand, wave erosion planing down rock out ...

and extensive beaches, the

snorkeling Snorkeling ( British and Commonwealth English spelling: snorkelling) is the practice of swimming on or through a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped breathing tube called a snorkel, and usually swimfins. In cooler waters, a ...

industry is gaining in popularity in Msambweni, and holiday cottages and hotels have sprung up in the area, such as the Msambweni Beach House. The town is noted for its

leprosarium A leper colony, also known by many other names, is an isolated community for the quarantining and treatment of lepers, people suffering from leprosy. '' M. leprae'', the bacterium responsible for leprosy, is believed to have spread from East Af ...

and contains the Msambweni District Hospital. The

Koromojo Dam The Koromojo Dam, also known as the Mwambe Dam, refers to two embankment dams (Upper and Lower) on the Mwabanda River north of Msambweni in southeastern Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map ...

is immediately north of the town.

Geography

By road, Msambweni is south of

, southeast of

Kwale Kwale is a small town in and the capital of Kwale County, Kenya. It is located at around ; 30 km southwest of Mombasa and 15 km inland. The town has an urban population of 10,063 (2019 census). It is next to the Shimba Hills National ...

, and northeast of Lunga Lunga on the

n border. It lies along the A14 road (Ukunda-Ramisi Road) between the villages of

Ukunda Ukunda is a coastal town in the southern part of Mombasa. It paves way into Diani Beach, a major tourist attraction. Location It is located in Kwale County, Coast Province, adjacent and to the immediate west of Diani Beach, along the Indian Oc ...

and

Shimoni Shimoni is a port village and tourist destination in southeastern Kenya near the border with Tanzania and directly across from Wasini Island. General Information This small town is known for its British colonial ruins and slave caves which are ...

. Msambweni forms a constituency that starts from the Mwachema River at the border of Tiwi and

Diani Beach Diani Beach is a major beach on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya (in eastern Africa). It is located south of Mombasa, in Kwale County. It has been voted Africa's leading beach destination for the fifth time running since 2015. Tourism The beac ...

to the north, and down to

Vanga The family Vangidae (from ''vanga'', Malagasy for the hook-billed vanga, ''Vanga curvirostris'') comprises a group of often shrike-like medium-sized birds distributed from Asia to Africa, including the vangas of Madagascar to which the family o ...

at the border of Kenya and Tanzania to the south. The area's scenery is characterized by its beaches, rocky outcrops and low cliff tops and is relatively unspoiled. At one end of the beach is a "rocky headland of fossilized

coral Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and sec ...

, which is a jumble of cracks, caves and chimneys that make an ideal roost for

bats Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most bi ...

" and there are

baobab ''Adansonia'' is a genus made up of eight species of medium-to-large deciduous trees known as baobabs ( or ). They are placed in the Malvaceae family, subfamily Bombacoideae. They are native to Madagascar, mainland Africa, and Australia.Tropic ...

trees in the vicinity. There is a

channel at Msambweni and

aquifer An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing, permeable rock, rock fractures, or unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, or silt). Groundwater from aquifers can be extracted using a water well. Aquifers vary greatly in their characterist ...

which is about south of the Tiwi aquifer. The reef, which stretches from Msambweni to

Malindi Malindi is a town on Malindi Bay at the mouth of the Sabaki River, lying on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. It is 120 kilometres northeast of Mombasa. The population of Malindi was 119,859 as of the 2019 census. It is the largest urban centre ...

in the north, is one of the world's largest continuous

fringing reef A fringing reef is one of the three main types of coral reef. It is distinguished from the other main types, barrier reefs and atolls, in that it has either an entirely shallow backreef zone (lagoon) or none at all. If a fringing reef grows direc ...

. At the northern end of Msambweni Bay is Chale Island, a

headland A headland, also known as a head, is a coastal landform, a point of land usually high and often with a sheer drop, that extends into a body of water. It is a type of promontory. A headland of considerable size often is called a cape.Whittow, John ...

rather than an

island An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...

, which is known as a sacred ''kaya'' (worshipping place). Many of the locals are superstitious and believe in

witchcraft Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have us ...

and spirits ().

Bedrock In geology, bedrock is solid Rock (geology), rock that lies under loose material (regolith) within the crust (geology), crust of Earth or another terrestrial planet. Definition Bedrock is the solid rock that underlies looser surface mater ...

in the area was likely formed by

Mazeras Mazeras is a township in Coast Province, Kenya, approximately north-west of Mombasa. Mazeras is located between Mariakani and Miritini along Nairobi Mombasa highway. There is a famous botanical garden in Mazeras called ''Mazeras Mauwani'' where mo ...

Sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...

s. Msambweni has an average rainfall of 55.18 inches a year.

Politics

Msambweni Central forms a

with an elected Member of Parliament. As of 2001 the Msambweni Constituency had an area of with a population of 211,011 people. By 2009 it had a population of 288,393 people. Kassim Mwamzandi was MP from 1988–1997. The MP for Msambweni was Suleiman Dori Ramadhan until his death on 9 March 2020. He assumed office in 2013 and was re-elected in 2017. A by-election which was held towards the end of December 2020 was marginally won by independent candidate Feisal Bader.

Economy

Msambweni grew from a small village into a bustling little town. Fishing is important to the local community of Msambweni and is the primary source of income. The area is mainly Muslim and inhabited by

Digo people The Digo (''Wadigo'' in Swahili) are a Bantu ethnic and linguistic group based near the Indian Ocean coast between Mombasa in southern Kenya and northern Tanga in Tanzania. In 1994 the Digo population was estimated to total 305,000, with 217,000 ...

s. The Kwake District Development Plan 2002–2008 attempted to improve fish landing sites and beach access for fisherman on the coast of Msambweni.

Coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...

palm is grown, as are

s and buxa coloring.

Maize Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Th ...

cassava ''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava (), manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America. Although a perennial plant, cassava is extensively ...

cowpea The cowpea (''Vigna unguiculata'') is an annual herbaceous legume from the genus ''Vigna''. Its tolerance for sandy soil and low rainfall have made it an important crop in the semiarid regions across Africa and Asia. It requires very few input ...

s and

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima ''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...

are grown for domestic consumption. There are numerous stalls along the main road in the town selling fruit and vegetables.

Silica sand Sand casting, also known as sand molded casting, is a metal casting process characterized by using sand as the mold material. The term "sand casting" can also refer to an object produced via the sand casting process. Sand castings are produced i ...

is mined at Msambweni and transported to

Nairobi Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper ha ...

to make bottle glass.

Beekeeping Beekeeping (or apiculture) is the maintenance of bee colonies, commonly in man-made beehives. Honey bees in the genus '' Apis'' are the most-commonly-kept species but other honey-producing bees such as ''Melipona'' stingless bees are also kept. ...

and

seaweed farming Seaweed farming or kelp farming is the practice of cultivating and harvesting seaweed. In its simplest form, it consists of the management of naturally found batches. In its most advanced form, it consists of fully controlling the life cycle ...

are also local occupation and its commercialization in the area has been supported by ACT! Kenya with financial assistance from the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...

. A result of its reef, the

tourist industry Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mo ...

is taking off in Msambweni attracting snorkelers. Holiday cottages and hotels have sprung up. Club Green Oasis caters mainly to German tourists. Although supplied with electricity, in the 1990s the government expressed concerns about access to an ample clean water supply in the division.

Landmarks

Msambweni is noted for its

, and contains the Msambweni Level 5 Hospital, which is reportedly one of the best hospitals on the coast, and Kari Medical Clinic, Vingujini Primary School, and Msambweni Secondary School. The Msambweni Campus of Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), formerly the Matuga Medical Training College in Matuga, is located next to the hospital. It was established in 1977 and shifted location to Msambweni in August 2006. It trains students in the Health Sciences, and since 2005 they have offered a three and half-year pre-service diploma course in Community Health Nursing. On a clifftop is the Msambweni Beach House, set in 28 acres with a stretch of private beach. Although predominantly

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

, the town has an

interdenominational Interdenominationalism is an evangelical Protestant movement of cooperation among various Christian denominations. History The movement has its origins in the founding of the London Missionary Society, a missionary society, in 1795 by variou ...

church. Immediately to the north of Msambweni is the

. and between Msambweni and Kwale is the

Shimba Hills National Reserve The Shimba Hills National Reserve is a small National Reserve in the former Coast Province of Kenya, 33 km from Mombasa and 15 km from the coast. The reserve is an area of coastal rainforest, woodland and grassland. It is an important a ...

. There is a

marine reserve A marine reserve is a type of marine protected area (MPA). An MPA is a section of the ocean where a government has placed limits on human activity. A marine reserve is a marine protected area in which removing or destroying natural or cultural ...

at Shimoni beyond Funzi Island to the south.

References

Footnotes Endnotes {{Good article Populated places in Coast Province