Nairobi — Visitors to Mombasa for the Christmas and New Year festive season will be treated to the rich Swahili culture at a three- day cultural event which starts on Friday outside the historic fort Jesus Museums.

Event organisers of the Second Mombasa Swahili Cultural Festival, the Research Institute of Swahili Studies of Eastern Africa (RISSEA) a directorate of the National Museums of Kenya have lined up a number of activities, among them traditional dances and displays of Swahili cultural artifacts and activities.

The festival in its second year comes just one month after the Lamu cultural festival and is targeting the large cosmopolitan population which resides in the port city of Mombasa.

The Research Institute of Swahili Studies of Eastern Africa acting director Kassim Omar said they were working in conjunction with local community elders in Mombasa and Coast in general to showcase the unique cultural heritage that spans hundreds of years.

This Year's festival is supported by the Seacom, Radio Salaam, Friends of Fort Jesus and Anjuman-E-Burhani community.

"One of the major objectives of the festival is to depict the rich and living Coastal cultures and talents. The official launching ceremony will be held inside the fort on the evening of December 18 from 7.00pm.

"Quite a number of entertaining groups are expected to participate including the popular Moto Moto dance troupe, Innocent souls, Mombasa ya Kale Taarab Band," Mr Kassim said.

On Saturday the Fort is expected to host several cultural dances like the ones seen at the Lamu Cultural festival that include Goma la Siyu from Patte island, Mdurenge from Barani, Shebwani from Lamu island and Kirumbizi. Renowned Swahili scholar Prof. Sheikh Ahmed Nabahany will be on site to interpret these dances to audience.

According to the programme ,Sunday night is dedicated to ladies and is dubbed Swahili ladies night providing an opportunity for people to learn and discover how Swahili ladies are adorned with heena.

There will also be a street carnival led by the popular Brass band, Simba Ropa from Majengo in Mombasa.

One of the organizing committee members Ms Rukiya Harith told the Nation that this year's event will have more activities than last year.

"We are targeting everyone in Mombasa and the event is coming at a time when the number of visitors has increased because of school holidays and the Christmas season," she said adding that the event has been included in the National Museums of Kenya calendar.