Kilifi is a town on the Kenyan coast, home to many resorts. It sits on the estuary of the Rare River in Kenya. The beach itself is known as Bofa Beach and is said to be one of the best beaches in Kenya. The town lies on the Kilifi Creek between Malindi and Mombasa. Kilifi is capital of the Kilifi District. The town has an urban population of 30,394 (1999 census [1]).
The town is known for its beach and for the ruins of Mnarani, including mosques and tombs, dating from the 14th to the 17th century. Coordinates: 3°38′S 39°51′E / 3.633°S 39.85°E
Geography:
The town is located on 39.84 degrees East and 3.63 degrees south.
The towns sits on both sides of the estuary and are linked by the Kilifi Bridge. One side is called Mnarani and the other is the main Kilifi Town. Kilifi bridge gives you access to the splendid view of the estuary.
The weather is generally warmer throughout the year (above 25 degrees) with two seasons of moderate rainfall (about 800-1000mm). The long rains that start around March to July and the short rains that start around October to December.
The terrain is generally flat with sandy-loamy soils. Common trees are Cocos lucifera, Anacadium occidentale, Azadirachta indica, Mangifera indica.
Common birds are the crow, kites and hawks.
People:
Kilifi is a small cosmopolitan town with mixed ethnic groups. The predominant inhabitants are from the Mijikenda groups (mainly Giriama and Chonyi). Other groups include the Islamic Swahili-Arab descendants as well as other groups from inland Kenya like the Kikuyu, Meru, Kamba and Luo. There is a handful of Europeans mainly British, German and Italian.
Economy:
Like every coastal town, fishing is one of the historical economic activities. With time, the town has slowly been transforming from a fishing village to basic industrial and service.
The growth of the town was mainly fuelled by the cashew nut milling factory between 1976 and 1990. The town almost became a ghost town when the factory was closed due to decline in nuts supply, mismanagement of the factory and increased global competition. Other industrial activities include milk processing at Kilifi Plantations.
Since 2008 with the transformation of the Kilifi institute of Agriculture into a University. There has been substantial expansion of the service sector as a result of this. Banking activity has been growing with about 4 banks (KCB, Barclays, Postbank, Imperial and Equity) as well as microfinance institutions. Retail business and hotels have historically been significant economic activities. 3 to 4 star hotels you will find here are like Sea Horse Hotel, Mnarani Club, Kilifi Bay Hotel and Baobab Lodge. Others are privately owned beach villas.
Health:
There is a district hospital which also serves as a medical research center for Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). Several other private clinics can be found here.
Some other notable organisations located in this town are World Vision and Plan International
External links
Information Guide Mtwapa City Kilifi District You can visit www.kilifi.com to more about kilifi