Kilifi Deputy Governor Flora Chibule join representatives of nine Mijikenda Kayas in Kilifi town during the launch of the rebranded Chenda Chenda na Jamii za Pwani festival that will hence forth be celebrated across the country. Photo by Ben Okweingoti. 
By Ben Okweingoti.
The annual Mijikenda Chenda Chenda celebrations have been rebranded and expanded into a week-long cultural festival aimed at promoting unity among coastal communities, preserving indigenous traditions and attracting more tourists to the region.
Speaking during the launch of the new Chenda Chenda Cultural Festival in Kilifi town on Thursday afternoon, Kilifi Deputy Governor Flora Chibule said the revamped event would go beyond celebrating the Mijikenda community to showcase the diverse cultures of coastal Kenya.
Chibule said the celebrations, which were previously held for only one day, would now run for an entire week, incorporating cultural exhibitions, traditional food, music, sports, games and fashion.
«“The national and county governments acknowledge that we have the Mijikenda and the tenth tribe. That is why we saw it fit to rebrand the annual Chenda Chenda Festival to include the tenth tribe. It has now been rebranded to Chenda Chenda Cultural Festival and will be a one-week event,” she said.»
She said the expanded festival would give visitors an opportunity to experience the rich cultural heritage preserved in Kaya forests across Kilifi, Kwale and Mombasa counties.
According to Chibule, participants and tourists will be taken through various cultural experiences, including traditional food preparation and tasting, while elders will engage young people in discussions aimed at passing indigenous knowledge from one generation to another.
“Our people and visitors will see, cook and eat our food. The youth will be addressed by elders so that we can bridge the existing cultural gap, and we will end the celebrations with games and a fashion show,” she said.
The festival is also expected to provide a platform for coastal communities to showcase their cultural diversity while creating opportunities for tourism and economic activity among local residents.
Kaya elders from Kilifi, Kwale and Mombasa counties officially opened the launch with traditional prayers and called on young people to embrace and preserve their cultural heritage.
The elders, however, warned against individuals they described as fake Kaya elders, accusing them of exploiting cultural institutions for personal gain.
Rashid Salim, representing Kaya Duruma, said genuine cultural leaders were committed to ensuring that Chenda Chenda celebrations remained a unifying platform rather than becoming a source of division within the community.
“We don’t want fake Chenda Chenda festivals that we have been witnessing in the past, where the community is divided. We want a festival that will bring the community together and ensure our culture is passed from one generation to the other,” Salim said.
The Mijikenda community comprises nine sub-tribes — Giryama, Digo, Chonyi, Kauma, Duruma, Kambe, Ribe, Rabai and Jibana — spread mainly across Kilifi, Kwale and Mombasa counties.
The organisers said the expanded Chenda Chenda Cultural Festival would seek to position the Coast as a major destination for cultural tourism while strengthening intergenerational links and preserving traditions facing the threat of being lost among younger generations.
