Once again this year it was confirmed that there are now eight ‘World Heritage Sites’ recognised by UNESCO in Kenya.
The old city of Lamu, Fort Jesus in Mombasa, the sacred prayer sites (Kaya) of the Mijikenda in the hinterland of Kilifi, the ruins of the Arab city of Gede, the archaeological site Thimlich Ohinga on Lake Victoria, plus the reserves of Mount Kenya, Lake Turkana and the great lakes of the Rift Valley.
But heritages do not only need rosettes, the way for them to be protected and useful, is for them to be recognised, more than by UNESCO, which can at best help with funds, the practical use of which is still unknown to us, is for their people to be aware that they have treasures at home and that they have a moral, cultural and patriotic duty to pass them on.
To be able to see these places as a resource, to include them in school curricula, in trips, films, to make them loved through the modern means of technology.
The Ministry of Education recently stated that protecting the sites is an integral part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by all UN member states in 2015. ‘Kenya is rich in diversity and cultural heritage. We have eight World Heritage sites across the country that we must protect to promote unity and understanding among people,’ Minister Julius Ogamba said.
UNESCO has confirmed the cooperation, although in practice it is not clear how this will be done.
Certainly the most important issues concern the preservation of Fort Jesus, one of the oldest vestiges of the European arrival in East Africa, the old city of Lamu, which has been eroded and attacked by progress, as well as the physical demarcation of the sacred Kaya Mijikenda, and the environmental care of parks and reserves.
Let us look at the eight heritages in detail.
 

MOUNT KENYA NATIONAL PARK AND FOREST

It is the first UNESCO World Heritage Site. At 5,199 metres high, Mount Kenya is the second highest peak in Africa after the famous Kilimanjaro. It is an ancient extinct volcano, which during its period of activity (about 3 million years ago) is estimated to have reached over 6,500 metres.
There are 12 residual glaciers on the mountain, all of which are unfortunately melting, and four jagged secondary peaks. With them and the forest-covered median slopes, Mount Kenya is one of the most incredible and fascinating landscapes in East Africa. The evolution and ecology of its Afro-alpine flora provide an outstanding example of ecological and biological processes.
 

TURKANA LAKE

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, Turkana is not only the saltiest of the great African lakes, but above all an exceptional laboratory for the study of plant and animal communities. The three national parks serve as stopovers for migratory water birds and are important breeding grounds for the Nile crocodile, hippopotamus and a variety of venomous snakes. The Koobi Fora deposits, rich in the remains of mammals, molluscs and other fossils, have contributed more to the understanding of palaeoenvironments than any other site on the continent.
 

THE OLD TOWN OF LAMU ISLAND

The Old City of Lamu is the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa, preserving its traditional functions. Built of coral stone and mangrove wood, the town is characterised by the simplicity of its structural forms enriched by elements such as inner courtyards, verandas and elaborately carved wooden doors. Since the 19th century Lamu has hosted important Muslim religious festivals and has become an important centre for the study of Islamic and Swahili cultures. It is the third UNESCO World Heritage Site, protected since 2001.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE AND HISTORIC TOWN OF GEDI BETWEEN MALINDI AND WATAMU

Nestled in a detachment of the coastal rainforest of Arabuko Sokoke, the abandoned town of Gedi was one of the most important Swahili towns on the East African coast from the 10th to the 17th century. During this period, being closer to the sea than today, it was part of a complex international trade and cultural network that crossed the Indian Ocean, linking African coastal centres with the Persian Gulf and the Middle East. The settlement is enclosed by walls and has remnants of private, religious and civil architecture and a sophisticated water management system. It strongly represents the characteristics of Swahili architecture and town planning, with the use of materials such as coral, earth and wood.
 

THE RIFT VALLEY LAKES AREA

The ‘lake system’ in the Great Rift Valley, a natural property of outstanding beauty, comprises three relatively shallow bodies of water connected by underground aquifers. They are Lake Bogoria, Lake Nakuru and Lake Elementaita in Kenya's Rift Valley Province. Their ecosystem covers a total area of more than 32 thousand hectares and is home to one of the highest bird diversity in the world, with 13 species that are among the world's most endangered due to the risk of extinction. It is also the most important resting and feeding place for the lesser flamingo and an important nesting and breeding area for great white pelicans. The property is home to substantial populations of mammals, including black rhinoceros, Rothschild's giraffe, greater kudu, lion, cheetah and wild dogs, and is valuable for the study of important ecological processes.
 

THE KAYA, SACRED FORESTS OF THE MIJIKENDA

The Kaya of the Mijikenda are the sacred sites of the Mijikenda ethnic group of the Kenyan coast. They consist of nine distinct forest sites spread over some 200 kilometres along the immediate coastal hinterland. They are composed of the remains of numerous fortified villages in which animist places of worship, known as kayas, are located.
The kayas, created from the 16th century onwards but abandoned around the 1940s, are now considered the abodes of the ancestors and are revered as sacred sites and, as such, are maintained by councils of elders. The site is inscribed as a unique testimony to a cultural tradition and for its direct link to a living tradition.

THIMLICH OHINGA ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE IN MIGORI

Located north-west of the town of Migori in the Lake Victoria region, this dry-walled settlement was probably built in the 16th century. Ohinga means settlement and the place was probably a shelter fort for the communities and their livestock. The Ohinga of Thimlich is the largest and best preserved of these ancestral bounded spaces. It is an outstanding example of the tradition of massive drystone wall enclosures, typical of the early pastoral communities of the Lake Victoria basin, which persisted from the 16th to the mid-20th century.

FORT JESUS IN MOMBASA

The Fort was completed by the Portuguese in 1596, designed by the Italian architect Giovanni Battista Cairati to protect the port of Mombasa. It is one of the most striking and well-preserved examples of 16th century Portuguese military fortification and a landmark in the history of this type of construction. The layout and shape of the fort reflected the Renaissance ideal that perfect proportions and geometric harmony are found in the human body. The property covers an area of 2.36 hectares and includes the moat of the fort and its immediate surroundings. Inside is the Fort Jesus museum, with relics from the period, cannons and more.