KHOJA SHIA ITHNA-ASHERIS IN

LAMU AND MOMBASA, 1870-19301

BY

ZAHIR BHALLOO

Lamu - In about 1870, Dewji Jamal, a

rich Ithna-Asheri merchant of Bombay and

Zanzibar established a branch of his company

Dewji Jamal & Co in Lamu which was then the

chief port of Kenya. Besides this solitary

venture there is no record of Khoja Shia Ithna-

Asheris on the island until 1880. The period

1880-1890 witnessed a large number of Ithna-

asheri arrivals in Lamu. Most of the new

arrivals came from Kutch or Kathiawad but

some also came from older Khoja settlements

along the East African coast like Bagamoyo,

Zanzibar and Kilwa. When they arrived most

were already “Ithna-Asheri” and it is likely that

only a very small number of Khojas actually seceded in Lamu. Late Hussein

Abdalla Jaffer, a great-grandson of Dewji Jamal remembers that while his

grandfather Jaffer Dewji was in Lamu he often used to help Ismaili Khojas

and invite them for religious majlises. After some time a number of them

left the jamatkhana and joined the Ithna-Asheris.2

In 1883 seven sons of Kanji Asani left Jamkhambalia (near

Jamnagar) in Kathiawad and arrived in Lamu after a forty day journey by

dhow. Of the seven, five, Dewji Kanji, Daya Kanji, Panju Kanji, Samji

Kanji, Ramji Kanji became Ithna-asheris. Each of the brothers established

shops in Lamu town from where they carried out a flourishing import export

business. A great grandson of Dewji Kanji, Jafferali Merali, who was born

in Lamu in 1919, describes the family business:

“At that time Lamu did a great deal of trade, with Mombasa,

Somalia and direct to India. The dhows anchored off Lamu town,

and the steamers anchored off Shela. One of our main exports was

the doum palm mat bags that were used in Zanzibar for packing

1 Author’s Note: The following is a précis of the early history of Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheris

in Mombasa and Lamu. I was inspired to write about the Ithna-Asheris after meeting

Cynthia Salvadori, author of the remarkable three volume work, We Came in Dhows.

Cynthia was fortunate enough to interview Hussein Abdalla Jaffer and Gulamali G.A.

Datoo, scions of the two pioneer Ithna-Asheri families of Mombasa. I decided to carry on

where she left off and began to interview as many old members of the community as I

could. Of course I never intended to nor indeed was it possible to record every story. The

few I did are published here along with historical notes, photographs and newspaper

clippings. 2 From an interview with Hassan A.M.Jaffer.

Dewji Jamal

(from Hussein A. Jaffer)

2

cloves. Another was mangrove poles which went to the Gulf

countries. We imported mainly rice, sugar, wheat and spices.”3

In 1885 one of Dewji Jamal‟s sons, Nazerali Dewji, arrived in Lamu with

his family from Zanzibar. A handwritten letter by John Kirk, the British

Consul in Zanzibar, to his deputy in Lamu announces the new arrivals:

“I have been asked to mention to you that Nazerali Deoji [sic] and

his family have gone to settle in Lamu, and to say that he is the

Agent of Deoji Jamal [sic] of this place, a British Indian. Also I

would say that the family of Deoji Jamal including his Agent now at

Lamu have formally left the Khoja sect and joined that of the

K.Shias. They are still however British subjects. For leaving the

Khojas the family has sometimes been annoyed by their former co-

religionists.”4

The „family‟ mentioned in the letter probably also included two of Nazerali

Dewji‟s younger brothers, Nasser Dewji and Jaffer Dewji, who were sent to

manage the branch of Dewji Jamal & Co on the island. In 1887 Nazerali

Dewji moved to Mombasa to establish a new branch of Dewji Jamal & Co.

Because Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheris arriving in Lamu came with their

families by 1895 the population of Khoja Shia Ithna-asheris had increased to

about three hundred. Initially the Ithna-asheris met at individual homes to

perform the „majlis‟, „matam‟ and other communal observances. In 1896

Dewji Jamal bought land for building a mosque-imambara. The Jamat

meanwhile established a fund to raise the capital required to build the

mosque-imambara. Nasser Dewji supervised the construction and played a

leading role in the collection efforts.5 In the same year Jaffer Dewji left for

Mombasa to manage the Mombasa branch of Dewji Jamal & Co. Soon after

Jaffer Dewji‟s departure the Lamu Khoja Shia Ithna-asheri community

plunged into a decade of communal discord. The internal factionalism

which gripped the Lamu jamat in those days was not uncommon. The

jamats at Zanzibar, Mombasa and Dar-es-Salam all faced similar challenges.

Often in such cases social conflict resulted in the acquisition of new land for

use as a cemetery or the building of new mosques and imambaras. This in

turn helped to meet the demands of an increase in the size of the community

once the conflict was resolved and the jamat was again reunited.

In Lamu shortly after the conflict began, one faction, with the help

of contributions from Zanzibar, built a temporary new mosque outside the

1896 mosque-imambara. This was later re-built in the 1900‟s with

contributions from Jivraj Khatau, Jivraj Meghji and others who had left

Mombasa‟s “Bustani” (see below) into the splendid mosque that can be seen

today on the Lamu the sea front. When the Lamu jamat reunited, this

mosque became its main mosque, while the top floor of the older 1896

mosque-imambara was now used exclusively as an imambara. In the 1920‟s

3 Cynthia Salvadori, “Muharram in Lamu from an interview with Jafferali Merali”, We

Came in Dhows v.1 ( Paperchase Kenya Ltd: Nairobi, 1996), 30-31 4 Cynthia Salvadori, We Came in Dhows, v.1, 30. 5 In 1901 Nasser Dewji died onboard a German ship while returning from pilgrimage to

Mecca and was buried at sea.

3

and 30‟s the population of the Lamu jamat began to decline steadily. By the

end of the Second World War most Khojas had migrated to Mombasa. One

reason for the migration was that Mombasa had displaced Lamu as the chief

commercial port of Kenya. Another reason was the lack of adequate higher

education facilities in Lamu, though it must be said the community did

make efforts in this regard when Jiwan Visram established a school-madrasa

on the island in the 1890‟s.

Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Mosque, Lamu, Kenya (Photo by Author)

Mombasa - Khoja settlement in Mombasa

dates to 1867 when Waljee Hirjee a prominent

Khoja Ismaili merchant of Zanzibar opened a shop

at the Old Port. The first Ithna-asheri to settle in

Mombasa was Abdalla Datoo Hirjee. He arrived

on the island from Zazibar in 1882. In 1887

Nazerali Dewji left Lamu and moved to Mombasa

to manage a branch of Dewji Jamal & Co. and in

1896 he was followed by his brother Jaffer Dewji.

The numbers of Khojas on the island at the

time was small. In 1887 the combined Khoja

population (both Ismailis and Ithna-Asheris) on

the island was estimated at only twenty five

compared to around 1,900 in Zanzibar and 385 in Bagamoyo. With the

establishment of the Imperial British East African Company (IBEA) in

1888, Mombasa became the chief commercial entrepôt of East Africa. Large

numbers of Khojas began to arrive from the old mercantile centres of

Zanzibar, Bagamoyo, Lamu and Kilwa; others came directly from India.

Khojas who had already established firms in Zanzibar, Bagamoyo or Lamu

decided to open branches or shift altogether to Mombasa.

For example, in 1893 Dharamsi Khatau called his brother Jivraj

Khatau from India to manage a branch of Dharamsi Khatau & Co in

Mombasa. Also at this time two famous Bagamoyo merchant princes,

Allidina Visram and his Ithna-asheri nephew Nasser Virji decided to shift

Waljee Hirjee

(from C. Salvadori)

4

their businesses to Mombasa and opened branches in 1895 and 1900

respectively. As Edward Rodwell notes Mombasa was not much of a place

in those days. Ndia Kuu and Vasco Da Gama St (now Mbarak Hinaway St)

comprised the main streets. The town boasted few stone buildings. Most of

the island was covered by jungle, infested with puff-adders, and leopards

roamed about the town at night. Every now and then lions would walk over

the ford at Makupa when the tide was low. In 1892 Mombasa was the scene

of a celebrated lion hunt in the area where Mombasa Sports Club is now

situated. The business of the town was in the hands of a small group of

Bhattias, Bohras, Memons and Khojas.

Mombasa, Ndia Kuu, 1895

As the Khoja Shia Ithna-asheri population on the island increased –

by 1897 it had grown to about a hundred – arrangements were made to meet

at individual houses to perform the „majlis‟, „matam‟ and other communal

rituals. In 1897 Dewji Jamal & Co bought a shamba called “kitumba” with a

small bunaglow from Maryam bint Mohamed bin Mbarak Karooso for use

as a cemetery. Two years later in 1899 the community decided to build a

mosque and imambara. The mosque-imambara was built on a shamba (in

Persian “bustan”) worth five thousand rupees belonging to Dewji Jamal &

Co. A fund was established and a small mosque-imambara was built which

became known as “Bustani” (now Hyderi). Unfortunately towards the end

of the same year the Mombasa Khoja Shia Ithna-asheris became caught up

in the ongoing communal discord and conflict in Zanzibar and Lamu.

According to late Sadak Jivraj Meghji soon after the differences arose a

small bungalow was purchased near the Bustani. The disaffected party

would gather there to perform namaz and majlis. A madrasa under the

charge of a Seyyid Rhemtulla was established to teach the Quran and the

Seyyid was paid fifteen rupees a month for his services. However after a

year the madrasa was stopped and religious activities were shifted to the

house of Mohammed Baqir, a Persian gentleman living in Mombasa.

5

Eventually the leaders of the new Jamat decided to acquire their own

cemetery and build a new mosque-imambara.

In 1903 Dharamsi Khatau, Jivraj Khatau and Walji Bhanji bought

land along present day Haileselassie Rd for use as a cemetery.

Original 16 Rajab 1321/8 October 1903 Arabic Deed of Sale of a plot of land for the

cemetery by Dharamsi Khatau & Co. next to the shamba of Dewji Jamal (from A.A.

Khatau)

In the same year, Dharamsi Khatau, Jivraj Khatau and Jivraj Meghji

also bought land along Old Killindini Rd and a fund was established to build

a new mosque-imambara. In 1904 work on the mosque-imambara, named

“Kuwwatul Islam” (now Husseini) was completed. Various dignitaries from

Zanzibar were invited for the opening ceremony including the resident alim

of Zanzibar, Seyyid Abdulhusein Marashi, who performed the religious

ceremony of dedication. Henceforth the Ithna-asheri community of

Mombasa had two jamats: “Bustani” and “Kuwwatul Islam” each with their

own mosque-imambara and cemetery. As luck would have it the two

cemeteries, although separated from each other by a wall, were right next to

each other. When the two jamats were reunited on 28 October 1966 under

the famous slogan “ek bano nek bano” (unite and prosper), the wall between

the two cemeteries (known then as the “Berlin Wall”), was finally brought

down.

****

6

1904, Mombasa - Visiting dignitaries from Zanzibar at the opening ceremony of the

“Kuwwatul Islam Mosque” on Old Killindini Rd. (from Sayyid Muhammad Redha

Shushtary).

Sitting (from L-R second row): Sayyid Muhammad Ali (first l); Sayyid Muhammad Ali

(third l); Sayyid Abdulhussein Marashi (centre); Sayyid Jaffer Marashi (second r); Sayyid

Muhammad Taqi Marashi (first r); Standing (third row R-L): Ali Mohammed Jagani,

(unkown), Ismail Kalyan.

Early 1900’s - Mombasa Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheris. Note the Union Jack flying in the

background. (from A.A. Khatau)

7

The “Berlin Wall” separating the two Ithna-asheri cemetries being brought down by

representatives of the two jamats: Abdulhussein Dharamsi Khatau and Sadak Jivraj Meghji

(from A.A. Khatau)

The Old Bustani, Mombasa (from A.A. Khatau)

8

“Chittilesso”

Hanging on a wall at the entrance of the Mombasa Club there used

to be a superb black and white photograph of a sailing dhow. On the

dhow‟s stern, you could read

the legend “W. RAMJI &

SONS, LAMU, L.58”. The

dhow belonged to old Walji

Ramji a leading Ithna-Asheri

piece-cloth merchant of Lamu.

He arrived on the island in 1885

along with his brothers Molu

Ramji and Damji Ramji.

The three brothers built

up a flourishing business

retailing and wholesaling cotton

cloth. When they were tired of

sitting in their shops they used

to go door to door to make

deliveries. They became famous

under the name “chittilesso”, a

name which is still remembered

by old residents of Lamu to this

day. (Chit is the Gujarati word

for cotton and lesso is a type of

cloth wrap around worn by Swahili women)

****

Life in Lamu

From interviews with Hussein Abdalla Jaffer Pardhan (AP), Mombasa

Life in Lamu in the 1930‟s was very simple. People would wake up

in the morning and go for prayers. They would open their shops from 8:00-

12:00 pm and then go home for lunch and to sleep. The shops would re-

open again at 3:00 pm until 6:00 pm when people would go for maghrib

prayers. After dinner some people would open their shops at half past eight

to do book keeping until around 10:00 pm when they would go to bed. The

chairmen of the jamat in those days were Jaffer Panju, Hassan Walji, Molu

Ramji and his brother Walji Ramji. Molu Ramji used to bring grain and

other cargo from Mombasa and would export boriti (mangrove poles).

Yes I remember Daya Kanji. He had a big shop in Lamu and was

also into bringing cargo from Mombasa and shipping boriti and copra. Daya

Kanji‟s agent Abdulrasul Hirji Walji stayed in Faza where he would buy

boriti. The Bohra Adamali Nurbhai and the Parsi Cowasjee were also in

Faza. They used to come to Lamu once every six months for a hair cut.

There was no electricity in the mosque; we had to use kerosene lamps. The

imambara was upstairs. There were two ways of going up to the imambara;

one way was from the bazaar and this was used by the ladies and the other

was from the sea shore which was used by gents. Two staircases were built

9

on either side. The local mullas were Mulla Jafferali Alibhai, Mulla

Vallimohamed Merali Dewji, Mulla Mohammedali Nanji and Mulla Nanji

Bhanji, who was a very old man at the time. The mullas would give waez

and majlis in the imambara upstairs from the wooden pulpit (mimbar). Later

on we used to have alims coming from outside Lamu. They would stay in

the madrasa at the top which was converted into a guesthouse when there

weren‟t any children left.

The purdah was strictly enforced in those days in Lamu. There was a

wall with a wooden door in the middle of the imambara that was always

closed. Next to the door was a window like the one in our mosque in

Zanzibar. During niyyaz (feasts) which were always at lunch time if the

ladies needed anything extra they used to tap the window‟s sill. Mwalimu

Yusufu and Mwalimu Faraj used to teach the students Quran in the madrasa.

On Thursday nights we would all go to the Chungani (cemetery). Majlises

were held there in the small building (now in ruins) with barazas outside.

This building was built during the time of Molu Ramji. The oldest graves

you can see in the Lamu Chungani today are of Daya Kanji, Damji Ramji,

Molu Ramji, Walji Ramji, Alibhai Panju and Jaffer Panju.

****

Dhows I Can Remember

From interviews with Hussein Abdalla Jaffer Pardhan (AP), Mombasa

Walji Ramji was known as “chittilesso” and he was a big piece cloth

merchant. He used to own a number of dhows. I remember “Sadat el-

Khayr”; “Kheya” which disappeared while sailing from Lamu to Mombasa

and “Violet” which also disappeared even though many inquiries into its

whereabouts were made. The three brothers Hassan Walji, Rhemtulla Walji

and Hirji Walji were into importing grain and taking cargo to Mombasa,

Tanga and Dar-es-Salaam. Hassan Walji had dhows as well. I remember

“Madina”, “Munawer” and “Rangoon”. Mulla Nanji Bhanji‟s dhow was

“Ruman”.

****

Two Brave Brothers

From the “Ithna-Asheri Trade Directory”

Not all Khoja familes that came to Lamu actually lived on the island.

A number of people were based in Kunumbi and Witu on the mainland;

others in Faza and Siyu on Pate island. The leaders of the Bhimji Kanji

family are an example. Hassan Bhimji and Hirji Bhimji lived in Mpeketoni

on the banks of the Tana River. They would travel along the river in dug out

canoes or “hodis” to remote villages negotiating crocodiles, hippos and

native tribes to trade.

****

10

Cosmopolitan Lamu

From interviews with Hussein Abdalla Jaffer Pardhan (AP), Mombasa

Yes I do remember something about other communities. The

Ismailis in Lamu in the 1930‟s I remember are Velji Khatau, Mohan Amersi

and his brother Remtulla (Remu) Amersi and Lalji Rajan. There were many

Bohras. T.M.Jeevanjee had the biggest dhow in Lamu called “Queen Mary”.

The dhow sank on its first trip to Kismayu loaded with boriti. Other Bohras

were Ibrahimji Moosajee, Amijee Ismailjee, Sadiqali Nurbhai,

Gulamhussein Nurbhai, Pirbhai Nurbhai, Gulamhussein Daya, Hassanali

Zahabu who used to sell gold, Ismail Kichwa, Alibhai Mauritiuswalla who

had a big building in Lamu and Gulamhussein “Belwed” who was lame and

moved about on one foot.

Among the Sunni community I remember Haji Mohammed Karim

Khatri and his brother Haji Gulmohammed Karim Khatri. There were two

barber shops in Lamu, the oldest being Sidik Ahmed‟s and the other one

was Hasham‟s. The old Hindus were Jevant Dossa, Vallabhdas Valji who

was a Bhattia and his brother Morarji Valji. They would burn their dead in

Kitau opposite Shela. There was a bar near the Lamu Customs owned by a

Goan, Mr.Vagasse. The Parsis I remember in Lamu were the two sons of

Cowasjee Nowrojee Dastur, Keki and his brother Homi. Among Arabs I

remember Shaykh Mohammed Maa‟wy who had mango shambas, Salim

Ahmed Basaida who worked with Smith Mackenzie, Hussein Shamuti,

Abdalla Bathes and Mr. Yahya who was the only man in Lamu with a horse.

He used to ride it on the main street along the sea shore.

****

Ivory and Sim Sim

There is an interesting letter in the Zanzibar Archives from the

British Consular Agency in Lamu to the Customs Officer in Lamu. Dated

1890, it is a petition filed by one “Hemraj Luddha” complaining about extra

charges he was asked to pay for a consignment of sim sim seed and ivory

that he had brought by dhow from Mambrui. According to Luddha, despite

paying full customs fees for the sim sim seed and the ivory at Mambrui, the

Lamu customs had retained the ivory and demanded extra payment of duty.

Could Hemraj Luddha be the Ithna-asheri merchant Hemraj

Ladhani? I am inclined to think so. Erratic spelling of tricky Indian names

was common in the Consular Agency. If those inscrutable clerks could turn

the famous Zanzibari merchant Fazal Issani into „Fazal Isa,‟ Hemraj Luddha

is probably none other than Hemraj Ladhani. In 1880 Hemraj Ladhani sailed

with his family by dhow from Kutch to Bagamoyo. Around 1885 he moved

with his family to Lamu. Hemraj Ladhani had five sons: Virji Hemraj;

Abdalla Hemraj; Rashid Hemraj; Bandali Hemraj and Hassam Hemraj all of

whom were well known in Lamu as „Bagamoyowallas‟.

****

11

Dharamsi Khatau: A Pioneer and Merchant Prince

From interviews with Akberali A. Khatau, Mombasa

My grandfather Dharamsi Khatau was

born in Nagalpur, Kutch in 1865. He had four

brothers Jivraj Khatau, Manji Khatau, Kassim

Khatau and Killu Khatau. Yes it‟s the same

“shaheed” Killu Khatau, the student of Mulla

Qader Husayn who was martyred in Bombay.

After the death of Killu in 1878, my

grandfather left Bombay in 1880 with his

father and mother along with the wife of Killu

Khatau and Killu‟s daughters. The journey to

Mombasa by dhow took about a month. On the

way Khatau Nanjani, my great-grandfather

saddened by the death of Killu passed away. He

was lowered into the sea with full honours.

When the dhow arrived in Mombasa, Dharamsi Khatau decided to

stay on board and disembark in Zanzibar. In Zanzibar he established

Dharamsi Khatau & Co., which grew to become a successful import

company that used to import textiles from Germany. It had forty branches

throughout East Africa, in Mombasa, Lamu, Malindi, Mazeras, Takangu,

Kisumu, Bukoba, Nairobi and Meru etc. Many Ithna-Asheri pioneers began

working with Dharamsi Khatau & Co before establishing their own

businesses including Rashid Moledina, Abdalla Kanji, Rashid

Nurmohammed of Kampala, Moledina Virji and Ali Mohammed Jagani.

In 1893 my grandfather called his brother Jivraj Khatau to manage

the Mombasa branch of Dharamsi Khatau & Co. It was Jivraj who extended

the company‟s business deep into the interior.

There is an interesting incident that my father

told me about Jivraj Khatau. One day Walji

Bhanji was delayed in paying for goods bought

from the German firm Messrs.Hansing & Co.

He was sent a notice threatening court action.

When Jivraj Khatau heard about this, he

became very angry and told the firm‟s German

representative: “Walji Bhanji is my brother.”

Later that day the notice was torn up by the

German in Jivraj‟s office. The Germans knew if

they didn‟t take the notice back all business

dealings between Dharamsi Khatau & Co. and

Messrs. Hansing & Co. would stop. You see,

that‟s how it used to be in the old days.

Dharamsi Khatau

(from A.A. Khatau)

Messrs. Hansing & Co.

Mombasa

(from Playne and Gale)

12

An old envelope: the remains of a business empire

(from A.A. Khatau)

****

The First Ithna-Asheri in Nairobi

From Cynthia Salvadori‟s We Came in Dhows and interviews with Mulla

Anverali Valimohamed Walji and Hussein A. Walji, Mombasa

Walji Bhanji was born in Kutch in 1869.

He had two brothers Khaku Bhanji and Karim

Bhanji. After Khaku‟s death, Walji Bhanji

married his brother‟s wife Kaiserbai and raised

his brother‟s children Suleman Khaku and

Bachibai. Kaiserbai bore him two sons Alibhai

and Valimohammed. In 1898 Walji Bhanji left

Kutch and arrived with his family in Mombasa.

He stayed with Ladha Kanji and opened a small

shop selling matches and tobacco. In 1899 he

decided to go to Nairobi. He travelled by train

to Voi and then by donkey to Nairobi. Very

quickly Walji Bhanji was able to establish a

successful import-export firm. The firm grew

to almost sixty branches across East Africa.

There was even a branch in Nakuru opened in 1902 and supervised by

Karim Bux.

The firm used to import piece goods and salt from India, sugar from

Mauritius and would export raw cotton and from 1909 onwards ivory to

India and the Far East. Walji Bhanji‟s sons Valimohammed and Alibhai and

his step son Suleman were made partners in the firm. It was Suleman who

extended the firm‟s operation into the interior. Cotton ginneries were set up

in Mbale and Butiaba. Walji Bhanji himself stayed mostly in Mombasa,

Valimohammed worked in Zanzibar and Alibhai was in charge of buying

ivory.

Walji Bhanji

(from Hussein A. Walji)

13

There was a time when Walji Bhanji was so famous amongst the

Africans that they were singing songs about him as they pushed the

handcarts bringing cotton and ivory to the depots. At first the family lived in

Walji Bhanji‟s buildings on Old Killindini Rd but later Walji Bhanji

acquired the big house (Leven House) near the stairs by the Old Port and the

whole family lived there. The ground floor was the head office with all the

accountants and everybody. On the top floor Suleman lived with his family.

Eventually Walji Bhanji‟s luck ran out. The Great Depression hit

Africa – and Walji Bhanji lost a lot of currency, German marks. Smith

Mackenzie advanced him a large sum to purchase the cotton crop. Locusts

devoured the entire crop. In 1932 he was declared bankrupt. All Walji

Bhanji‟s properties were put up for sale. Datoo came to auction them. For

three days after the auction Walji Bhanji never left the house, his big house

by the Old Port. On the third day, there in that house he died.

****

The Story of “Khalfan Soap”

From interviews with Mohammed A. Khalfan, Dar-es-Salam

Khalfan was a young man when his family got him married. As

things were difficult in India at the time due to drought, soon after his

marriage in 1835 he set sail in a dhow for the East African coast to Lamu.

Unfortunately on arrival in Lamu, the sea was extremely rough and the

dhow that was carrying Khalfan to the shore capsized and Khalfan drowned.

By the time news of Khalfan‟s death reached Bhavnagar, six months had

passed and Khalfan‟s wife was pregnant. The child born was called

Mohamed Khalfan. Around 1855 Mohammed Khalfan came by dhow to

Zanzibar.

In 1860 Mohammed Khalfan had a son, Ali who was the first local

birth in Zanzibar. When Ali grew up he was appointed Custom‟s agent to

the Sultan. Later he was given the management of the coconut and clove

plantations of the Sultan‟s sister. He had two sons, Abdulrasul who was

born in 1887 and Abdalla born in 1889. In 1910, Ali Mohamed Khalfan

decided to send his young sons Abdulrasul and Abdalla to Mombasa. There

Abdulrasul quickly got a job as broker with Smith Mackenzie & Co, due to

his fluent command of English, Kutchi, Gujarati and Kiswahili. Abdalla on

the other hand went into manufacturing after he met an Ethiopian named

Abdelrehaman, who told him he knew how to make soap.

Soon Abdalla had opened a small shed in Mombasa and had started

manufacturing soap. Business was brisk and within a short time, „Khalfan

Soap‟, had become famous. The purchase of caustic soda from Smith

Mackenzie reached such high levels that Abdalla decided it was time to

build a full-scale factory. Abdalla had by then become a personal friend of

Smith Mackenzie and it was this close friendship which allowed him to ask

Smith Mackenzie to accept the resignation of his brother, Abdulrasul and

along with him, Smith Mackenzie‟s chief accountant L.F.De Mello. Land on

which to build the factory was provided, by the mercantile prince and

Mombasa magnate Jaffer Dewji, who was the father-in-law of both the

brothers.

14

When the factory was built around 1920, it was the first time that a

two-story factory could be seen in Mombasa. Modern machinery was

imported from Krupp the giant German weapons manufacturing company

during the first and second world wars. The factory had a rest room and a

prayers room. A chef was imported from Bombay to do the cooking. Once

the Company‟s Registration Ordinace came out, Khalfan Oil Mills and Soap

Factory was one of the first Ithnasheri establishments to become a Limited

company. Smith Mackenzie took over the sole agency for the marketing of

the soap. The factory had become so prosperous that in 1930, when the

Maharao of Kutch Shree Khengarji visited Mombasa, a party was held in his

honour at the factory and various dignitaries of Mombasa were in

attendance.

Mombasa – 1930. The King of Kutch, Maharao Shree Kehngarji, accompanied by Prince

Madansinhji visiting the Khalfan Oil Mills and Soap Factory.

Sitting r-l: Rashid Moldeina, Fazleabbas Esmailjee Jeevanjee, Abdulrasul Ali Mohamed

Khalfan, Prince Madansinhji, Maharao Shree Khengarji, Jaffer Dewji, Bandali Esmail

Kalyan, Yusufali Esmailjee Jeevanjee, De Mello; standing r-l: Mohamedhusein Abdulrasul

Khalfan, Shariff Khalfan, Mohamed Jaffer Sheriff Dewji (from Mohammed A. Khalfan)

****

The Rao of Kutch’s Visit to Mombasa

From interviews with Hassan A.M.Jaffer, Mombasa

I remember late Kassamali Jivraj Meghji telling me that when the

Rao of Kutch visited Mombasa in 1930 the elders of the Asian community

wanted to hold a celebration of some sort in his honour. They approached

Jaffer Dewji to host a tea party at his house. In those days Jaffer Dewji was

one of the senior most Asian businessmen in Mombasa. Jaffer Dewji

suggested that it would not be appropriate to only invite the Rao of Kutch

15

for tea; after all he was the King of Kutch and had to be treated with respect

in keeping with his status. He suggested that he would get the official boat

of the Liwali Sir Ali bin Salim.

Jaffer Dewji asked the Liwali for his boat with the request that there

should be two flags on the boat, the Union Jack and the red flag of the

Sultan of Zanzibar. A number of prominent Ithna-asheris and non-Ithna-

asheris were invited to accompany the Rao of Kutch and his chief minister

as they were taken round the island on the boat and then to Jaffer Dewji‟s

house for tea. Now it so happened that an Ithna-asheri had been killed by an

Ismaili in Kutch in the Rao‟s life time. Abadalla Kanji who was fearless

decided to ask him what happened to the case. The Rao, realizing he was

surrounded by leaders of different communities shrewdly said “You come to

Kutch and I will answer you.” Somebody on the boat asked Abdalla Kanji if

he would go to Kutch, to which Abdalla Kanji replied in Kutchi, “Buddho

mukeh rosivindo!” (If I go the old man will roast me alive!).

****

Bwana Judge

From an interview with Aunali G.Kanji, Mombasa

Abdalla Kanji was born in Bhuj, Kutch in 1881.

His father Kanji Dhalani was trading in Bagamoyo and

died there. After his death Abdalla Kanji came to

Mombasa in 1902 with his brother Bandali Kanji. He

began work in the firm of Jivraj Meghji & Co and then

established Abdalla Kanji & Sons in 1904. As the

family grew Abdalla Kanji decided to expand his import

export business into land and estate as well. Most of his

savings were invested in the purchase of land and

property. Tewa road off Moi Avenue where he built

Jaffer Dewji’s Visitor’s Book (from Hassan A.M. Jaffer)

Abdalla Kanji

(from Aunali G. Kanji)

16

houses including his own used to be known as Abdalla Kanji St. He was a

great philanthropist and friend of the needy. Although he never took any

official position in the community, leaders and elders always sought his

advice. He was a champion in resolving disputes and was nick-named

„Bwana Judge‟ because people respected and honoured his judgment. When

he passed away in 1944, on the way to the kabrastan (cemetery) his coffin

was stopped three times by other communities so that they could place

“shaals” (pieces of cloth) on it as a mark of respect.

****

Molubhai Rhemtulla

From an interview with Mulla Hassanali G. Khaki, Mombasa

Opposite Mackinnon Market there used to be a shamba and a small

shop belonging to Molubhai Rhemtulla. When Molubhai became old he

went to the jamat elders and told them that he wanted to donate his shamba

and shop to the jamat. The jamat elders refused and advised him to keep it

for his only daughter. Unfortunately Molubhai‟s daughter passed away soon

after. Molubhai once again went to the elders and told them since he had no

heirs he would give the shamba and shop as a gift to the jamat.

The jamat asked Molubhai what he would like the income to be used

for and Molubahi told them to use it for Thursday majlis and niyyaz. No, it

was not written down; no will was made at the time it was only spoken.

Suddenly in that same year in 1926 Molubhai passed away. In those days

the jamat used to collect a rent of five rupees from the shop. Later a building

was constructed on the land, and a portion was leased out to the adjacent

petrol station. Today the rent accrued is worth thousands of shillings.

****

A Dinner in Bhuj-Kutch

Valimohamed Ladha came to Mombasa in the 1890‟s from

Zanzibar. He belonged to an old Zanzibar Khoja family and had four

brothers Shermohamed, Mohamed, Dostmohammed and Rustamali. In his

will he left his land and property (opposite the Saifee bakery) to the jamat.

In writing how he wished income from his property to be spent,

Valimohamed added the remarkable stipulation that every year on the 14th

of Jamadil Awwal, his trustees had to arrange a dinner in memory of his late

father Ladha Ranmal in Bhuj-Kutch!

From the wakf deed of Valimohamed Ladha

17

Two German Spies

From Interviews with Mulla Anverali Vallimohamed Walji, Mombasa

I heard about this from our elders when I was very young. During

the First World War there were two Ithna-asheris here who were German

spies. They were caught and sentenced to death. Before they were hanged

they were allowed to pray in Kuwwatul Islam mosque. I used to know their

names but I can‟t remember them anymore.

****

Contributors to the Old Bustani

Based on the Bustani wakf deed and the “Ithnasheri trade directory”

In 1899 when leaders of the community decided to build a mosque

and imambara, they organised a “harambee” to collect money. The list of

contributors has been preserved in the wakf deed. Some of the names are

quite surprising. Rattansi Virji who donated 251 rupees was none other than

the first “kamadia” of the Kuze Jamatkhana built in 1888. Mohammed

Dhanji another Ismaili contributor was a wealthy glass and lamp merchant

of Mombasa who once famously owned “10,000 acres within a 10 mile

radius of Mombasa”. Other contributors included Jamaldin Pasandali, a

Baloch shopkeeper, who donated 615 rupees and was one of the original six

“mutawallis” of the Bustani (the other five were: Nazerali Dewji, Jaffer

Dewji, Mohammed Lakha, Allarakhia Valli and Mohamed Jetha).

Mohammed Baqir who donated 4,000 rupees was a Persian living in

Mombasa. In the 1900‟s he left Mombasa and went to Mbale in Uganda.

According to late Ladhabhai Rawji of Mbale, Mohammed Baqir was a good

hunter and used to trade in ivory and other produce. He was very religious

and had an annexe of two rooms in his house where majlises were recited

regularly. He was also a great social worker. In 1919 when an epidemic of

influenza struck at Mbale people were very scared but Mohammed Baqir

continued to serve bravely and distributed free medicines to all. He died in

1922.

****

Issa Thaver’s Lane

Who is Issa Thaver? No one knows. Was he a Khoja, a Memon, a

Bohra? I remember seeing a sign which said “Issa Thaver Lane” on the road

just after the central police station leading down into Kibokoni. Today the

road is renamed “Bawazir Rd”. According to late Sadak Jivraj Meghji in the

“Ithna-Asheri Trade Directory” Issa Thaver was a prominent Ithna-asheri

merchant of Mombasa. The head of his firm was Abdalla Datoo, it had a

branch in Lamu, and its biggest buyer was A.M. Jeevanjee. When Molubhai

Jivraj Meghji arrived in Mombasa he stayed with Issa Thaver. In 1899 Issa

Thaver donated the sum of 1001 rupees for the construction of the Bustani.

****

18

Contributors to “Kuwwatul Islam”

From an interview with Mohamed Jaffer Mulla Hassanali Khaki, Mombasa

I have here an exact translation from Gujarati of notes made by my

late father Mulla Hassanali G. Khaki based on details of the history of

Kuwwatul Islam mosque and imambara given to him by late Mohamed

Sadak Jivraj Meghji. The Kuwwatul Islam mosque and imambara were built

in 1904 at the cost of 13,500 rupees. This was a large sum in those days. For

the construction of the mosque, Hasham Ghulamhussein Bhujwalla‟s sister

paid 5,000 rupees in 1903. In the same

year Jivraj Meghji and Ismail Kalyan went

to Bombay to raise funds for the

construction of the imambara and

contributions were also received from

Zanzibar. After the mosque and imambara

were built extensions were made to the

complex paid by Rajabali Bhaloo.

In 1906 a shop was built outside

the imambara by Jivraj Khatau in memory

of late Dharamsi

Khatau. Above

this shop the first

madrasa was built

by Nasser Virji of

Bagamoyo in

memory of his late

mother (dedicated to the community on 13th

July

1907). Next to the shop built by Jivraj Khatau, a

second one was built in 1907 by Jivraj Meghji to

cover the running expenses of the mosque. (This

shop was later occupied by Messrs. Dawood Haji

Nasser and Co). Funds were also raised by the jamat

to buy the shop next door occupied by the Ismaili

firm of Suleman Virjee for 5,900 rupees. In the same

year (1907) Jivraj Khatau passed away inside the mosque.

****

Jivraj Meghji

(from S.Sadak)

Nasser Virji

(from Jaffery Sports Club)

19

Abdalla Datoo’s Bohra Banker

Based on the Memoirs of Akberali G.A.Datoo published in the “Ithna-

Asheri Trade Directory”

Abdalla Datoo came to Zanzibar from

Mandvi in Kutch in 1870. He began work in

the firm of Tharia Topan. In those days Tharia

was a very powerful and influential man in

Zanzibar. He was both the “mukhi” of the

Jamatkhana and also Sultan Baragash‟s Chief

of Customs. His company had thirty shops

reaching all the way to Mozambique with its

head office in Zanzibar. Abdalla Datoo was

Tharia‟s chief accountant and he used to travel

by donkey through jungle from shop to shop to

check the accounts. His travels took him

towards Mombasa, Mikindani and Lindi. After

working in Tharia‟s company for around ten

years in 1882 Abdalla Datoo came to Mombasa to settle down. In Mombasa

he worked as the manager of the prominent firm of Issa Thaver. Abdalla

Datoo had become an Ithna-Asheri by then and he was a very pious and

religious man. Each month he would

take fifteen rupees from his salary and

give it to his banker, the Bohra high

priest Sheikh Esajee Mulla Bhaijee, to

keep so that he could go for pilgrimage

and ziyarat.

Unfortunately just when he had

collected enough money, the First World

War broke out and before it ended

Abdalla Datoo passed away. After his

death Sheikh Esajee went to see Abdalla

Datoo‟s wife Sakinabai. He gave her

five sacks containing one thousand

rupees each and said: “Abdallabhai had

saved this money to go for pilgrimage

and ziyarat but I am the only man who knew about it.” Even today old

Bohras in Mombasa remember Sheikh Esajee‟s honesty and trustworthiness.

He never lost a single rupee.

****

Abdalla Datoo

(from Samachar)

Sheikh Esajee Mulla Bhaijee

(from Yusuf Saeed)

20

Kwakizi or Kwakiziwi (Place of the Deaf Man)

From John H.A. Jewel, Mombasa the Friendly Town

Used to be forest land and was once owned by an Asian who was

very deaf. When people began to build houses in the location it came to be

called Kwa Kiziwi. He was the grandfather of the Datoo family, Abdulla

Datoo, and his house is still there.

****

The First Allidinian

From Fifty Years: A History of Allidina Visram High School, 1923-1972

Allidina Visram High School admitted its first pupil on 2nd January

1923. He was Mohamedali Dhalla, one of the senior pupils in the former

school and looked upon by both staff and pupils as a perfect leader. He still

recalls the day vividly as with a large crowd of other pupils he turned up at

the new building. “We had been looking forward eagerly to the day when

we would move to the beautiful new school,” he recalls “although the

opening was held without ceremony, it was an occasion in itself for us.”

****

21

The Ithna-Asheri Musafirkhana in Mombasa

The first Ithna-Asheri Musafirkhana or traveller‟s guesthouse in

Mombasa was built in 1908. 2,500 rupees were raised by the jamat and a

small musafirkhana was built behind the Kuwwatul Islam imambara. In the

1920‟s Abdalla Kanji and Fazal Ladak Shivji bought land and built a new

musafirkhana. The Kanjibhai and Ladakbhai Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri

Musafirkhana officially opened to travellers amid great fanfare at 9 am on

25th

September 1926. Its first trustees were: Abdalla Kanji, Fazal Ladak

Shivji, Walji Bhanji, Kassamali Jivraj Meghji and Gulamhussein Abdalla

Datoo. Travellers were welcome to stay for up to one month after which

they had to submit a special application to extend their stay.

Mombasa, 1926 - Opening ceremony Ithna-asheri Musafirkhana

(from Jivraj collecion)

From L-R: T.M. Jeevanjee, British official, Sir Ali bin Salim, Abdalla Kanji (l behind Sir

Ali), Kassamali Jivraj Meghj, Gulamhussein Abdalla Datoo, [?], Religious Alim, Fazal

Ladak Shivji (above Alim), Rashid Moledina and Sir Mbarak Hinaway

22

Sheriff Jaffer & Co

From Cynthia Salvadori‟s We Came in Dhows based on interviews with late

Hussein Abdalla Jaffer

In 1903 shortly before his death (he died in Bombay in 1905), Dewji

Jamal asked his two sons, Sheriff and my grandfather Jaffer, the only two

sons remaining in East Africa to close his business (Dewji Jamal & Co) and

to form their own company. Thus „Sheriff Jaffer & Co‟ came into being. All

the „Dewji Jamal‟ properties were valued and sold to „Sheriff Jaffer & Co‟

and Dewji Jamal gave each of his two sons a gift of Rs 80,000, a large sum

at that time, for their dedicated services. Sheriff looked after the Zanzibar

branch and my grandfather Jaffer

managed the company in Mombasa and

also looked after the Lamu branch,

helped by his nephew Mohamedali.

„Sheriff Jaffer & Co‟ was one of

the three major firms in Mombasa,

together with that of Allidina Visram and

his son Abdulrasul and that of

A.M.Jeevanje. These big merchants

loaned money back and forth, with no

bills or anything written; their word was

enough. As Mombasa grew, streets were

named after prominent Indian merchants,

usually the streets where they had their

business premises. Jeevanjee St linked

Fort Jesus Rd and Makadara St. Three of

the Dewji brothers had streets named

after them – Sherrifbhai St, Jafferbhai St,

and Nazeralibhai St all strips of land

given by the estate free to the government

to make the roads.

My grandfather Jaffer Dewji lived

very well. He even had a horse [there

were hardly any horses in Mombasa],

such a good horse that some military

person, a colonel, wanted to buy it. My

grandfather refused to sell it – and the

horse died three days later. Jaffer Dewji

associated with the leading people, of all

communities. He was a friend of

Abdulrasul Visram – Abdulrasul was a very kind-hearted man, and anyone

who came to him for help always received it. He was a wonderful person.

Sadly Abdul Rasul suffered from TB, which is why he died so young.

My grandfather was also very friendly with Mackinnon, as well as

his Persian headman Mulla Shambe. But he didn‟t kowtow to anyone. One

time the PC came to visit him at his house and was ushered into the sitting

room where Jaffer was sitting. Jaffer, being rather elderly, did not stand up

but welcomed the PC and invited him to take a seat. The PC stayed standing

and seemed rather angry. Again, my grandfather asked him sit down. The

Premises of Shariff Jaffer & Co,

Mombasa opposite the Bohra Mosque

in Old Town (from Playne & Gale)

23

PC took offense and said, „why haven‟t you stood up to welcome me?‟ My

grandfather said, „This is my house and in it I do not have to stand up for

anyone. If you don‟t like it you can leave.‟ The PC left. Another European

official who heard of the incident took the matter up with the Governor –

and the PC was transferred.

Mombasa 1900’s. Sitting L-R: Count Abdulrasul Allidina Visram, T.M.Jeevanjee, the

Maharaja of Gaekwad, Jaffer Dewji, Jadewji Dewji. Standing R-L: Dr.Gama the Portugese

consul (from H.A.Jaffer)

****

Jaffer Dewji’s Museum at the Old Port

By „SHELLBACK‟ in the Mombasa Times

Hanging on the wall in front of the table I am writing at in a house

up-country is an entertaining rug which once belonged to that coast collector

of Persian and other treasures, the late Mr.Jaffer Dewji of Mombasa. Older

residents on the island will remember that big crowded room at the top of a

high building down near the Old Harbour and reached by a wide rather

gloomy staircase set about with huge grain jars which could well have

hidden Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. One panted up several flights, and

then, through an entirely unpretentious door, there suddenly was this unique

private collection of beautiful china and pottery massed so thickly on the

high walls that one could barely find space for an outspread hand between

the rows and rows of curious dishes, glazed tiled bowls and a hundred

different things spread before one.

24

It was a fascinating conglomeration. I remember glorious Persian

China of deep blue on

white with the full

blown Persian rose

twined in and out of

the delicate fluting, in

fact this typical rose

was everywhere in the

decorations. Other

bowls and plates, of a

greenish-grey glaze

had sacred writings

from the Koran, and

the devout would use

there for their

medicines or even

plain draughts of water – so certain were they that the holy words would

still their fevers. There were any amount of the so called Lamu China dishes

– now identified as of Chinese origin and some of the specimens were huge

and very rare and ancient. There were covered Chinese soup and rice bowls

with their little stubby china spoons, or rather scoops; tear bottles galore, tall

slender-necked rosewater bottles and sprinklers of exquisite turquoise blues

and greens, some encrusted with jewels. These bottles are often highly

prized heirlooms and rich Persians and Arabs bestow them upon the brides

of their eldest sons: I have one such lovely rosewater bottle given to me by a

charming Washihiri lady whom I once helped, and it has an honoured place

in my glass cabinet…

But I started off this article with a rug – alas not mine! Old Mr.

Jaffer Dewji had many such unusual rugs; not for the floor but to be hung as

tapestries are in Europe. He was persuaded to part with this one, but I do not

think anyone was ever successful in getting him to sell others. He died some

years ago and since then we have not had the pleasure of being able to look

at his lovely and interesting things. The Dewji family has a long and

honourable association with East Africa: is it too much to hope that some

day perhaps that fascinating top room may be thrown open again and people

interested in old and valuable and lovely china, porcelain, pottery and silver

and other objects may be privileged to enjoy once more the rare treat of

browsing round a magnificent private collection.

*****

Jaffer Dewji’s Museum c.1908 (from Playne & Gale)

25

26

Mombasa’s First Public Library

(From Robert G. Gregory‟s The Rise and Fall of

Philanthropy in East Africa)

(From Africa Speaks by Paul Louis Hoefler)

(From The Old Town, Mombasa: A Historical Guide by Jenny Maitland-Jones, Janet

McCrae, Judy Aldrick and Rosemary Macdonald)

(From Early Days in East Africa by Frederick John Jackson)