HISTORY OF THE MALAWI EX-SLAVES IN KENYA

PHOTOS: FRERE TOWN FREED SLAVES 

(1). Freed slaves learning to read and at Freretown, Mombasa. Circa 1890

(2). Freed Slaves Children at Free Town Mombasa, circa 1890

(3). Free Slaves children group photo, Frere Town Mombasa, year unknown

(4). Enslaved Africans mostly from Malawi (Nyasa) aboard British naval ship HMS London rescued from an Arab Dhow on their way to the slave markets of Asia. 

(5). Kengeleni...The Bell that alerted freed slaves over possible slave raid at freretown Mombasa.

Freretown on mainland Mombasa was established in 1875 as a settlement for freed slaves rescued from Arab slaving ships after the ban on human cargo trade to Arabia and India.

Among notable Freetowners is veteran Kenyan broadcaster Leonard Mambo Mbotela who's grandfather was rescued from an Arab slave ship by British naval forces. Many of the freetowners originated from Nyasaland today's Malawi.

Frere town_Mombasa was established as a  centre for freed slaves by the Church Missionary Society. Its situated at  Kisimani along the Mombasa-Malindi highway,

It was named after Sir Bartle Frere who played a significant role in ending  slave trade. The society also established an educational and recreational center for the freed slaves where they were taught how to read and write.

People in Freretown have no tribe; they are all called Freretowners, the descendants of freed slaves. At Kengelini within the area is a huge bell symbolising bells that were rung to warn people whenever Arab slave ships were sighted.

The faces of the Frere Town settlement may be gone but its story still lingers among people in Mombasa and a few physical features remain prominent.

Still standing tall on the site is the St Emmanuel Anglican Church that was built by the freed slaves. 

Originally, Freetown sat on 600 acres of land between Kengeleni, Mkomani, Nyali and Junda in Mishomoroni. However, in 1830, there was a disagreement between the missionaries and the freed slaves, which resulted in the sale of the land to a company called Nyali.

The descendants of freed slaves were later resettled on 50 acres at the new Freretown in Kisimani. The British Government used to give the community 40 pounds per month for the maintenance of Freretown but the grant was stopped after Kenya gained independence.

#KenyaHistory