Iconic Mombasa tusks almost collapsing after neglect

The iconic artificial elephant tusks along Moi Avenue, one of the major tourist attraction sites in the port city of Mombasa, are on the verge of collapsing due to lack of maintenance.

The joints of the two imposing tusks have rusted, and one is tilting forward due to the damage and years of neglect. Hundreds of tourists tour the area to see the magnificent metal tusks.

It has emerged that the tusks have not been repaired or painted for the last five years as the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) and Mombasa County Government traded accusations.

According to Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir, the maintenance of the tusks was the responsibility of the NMK, given it is a registered national monument.

However, NMK Museum and Monuments Assistant Director (Coast) Athuman Hussein said the counties took over the management and maintenance of the tusks after the 2010 constitution.

“Since the tusks were constructed in 1956, it was the responsibility of the defunct Mombasa Municipal Council to repair the tusks. The county took over that responsibility,” said Hussein.

However, Nassir said the county government has no role in repairing the tusks but promised to find out why the National Museum of Kenya has not restored the tusks to their original state.

 “I will find out whether the National Museum of Kenya has set aside some funds for the repair of the tusks,” said Nassir, who admitted that the tusk was an important heritage site for the city.

Kenya Tourists Association CEO Julius Owino said there was no official data on the number of tourists who visit the place but added that it was the most popular site among tourists and locals.

Other tourism stakeholders say that the elephant tusks have dwarfed Fort Jesus as the most visited site by tourists and locals because they are the symbol of Mombasa city.

“Tusks are what welcome visitors to Mombasa. Most, if not all, visitors, including cruise ship tourists, ensure that they have taken a picture at the tusks because it is a symbol of Mombasa,” said Hussein.

Engineer David Jomeli said as landmark features on the Coast, the tusks should be periodically maintained and protected from street families attacking tourists in the area.

“We need to have periodic maintenance, including painting and decoration, to keep attracting tourists to the town. The place is also flooded whenever it rains,” said Jomeli.

The structure was first made of wood with canvas resembling elephant tusks in 1952 by the then colonial administrators to commemorate the visit of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

The wooden elephant tusks were erected as an M-shaped structure on Moi Avenue as the entry point of Mombasa along the then Kilindini Avenue on the way from the port. 

The monument was later refurbished using weather-resistant aluminium in 1956 after Moi Avenue was expanded to two lanes.

According to Nassir, the monument was originally two tusks over one lane, but when the two lanes came into operation, the four artificial aluminium tusks were constructed, with two on each lane, forming the shape of the letter M as the first letter of Mombasa.

Following the refurbishment, US Marines who frequented Mombasa started painting them whenever the US warships visited Mombasa port.

Several companies started using the Tusks as an advertisement for Mombasa as a tourist destination, which made the National Museum of Kenya intervene.

However, late in 2014, anti-poachers defaced them in protest against the poaching of elephants, which sparked an uproar between Mombasa County and the anti-poaching crusaders.

However, in 2017, Mombasa Cement and the county government refurbished the monument, which has continued to attract both local and foreign tourists.