Kenya and China have always enjoyed a cordial relationship, ranging from cultural exchange, language, and business over the years.
Well, fresh details have alleged that this relationship started a very long time ago, way back, even before the British came to Kenya and colonised it. The British officially established control over Kenya in 1895, when they declared it the East Africa Protectorate. This officially marked the beginning of formal British colonial rule.
Later, in 1920, the protectorate was transformed into the Colony and Protectorate of Kenya, which lasted until independence in 1963.
A moving video shared by Hola Fujian on the story of Dr Mwamaka Sharifu has, however, uncovered a centuries-old maritime connection between China and Kenya, way before the British invaded Kenya, revealing a little-known chapter of history that predates European colonisation by hundreds of years.
Dr Sharifu was born in Lamu, Kenya, and had the rare opportunity to grow up immersed in oral historical stories passed down by her grandmother. The stories spoke of Chinese sailors from Admiral Zheng He of the Ming Dynasty, who survived shipwrecks near Pate Island some 600 years ago.
According to the stories passed down by her grandmother, the sailors intermarried with the locals, essentially Kenyans from the coastal region, worked, and left behind descendants.
They also left behind tangible relics, including blue and white porcelain bowls from the Ming era.
In the early 15th century, Admiral Zheng He of the Ming Dynasty led a massive fleet of ships on diplomatic and trade missions across the Indian Ocean. His seven voyages reached as far as East Africa, including Kenya.
These expeditions, spanning from 1405 to 1433, aimed diplomatic missions designed to showcase China’s wealth, forge alliances, and expand trade. Among the most remarkable destinations was the Swahili coast of East Africa, including Malindi, Mombasa, and Mogadishu.
One of his ships, however, was wrecked near Pate Island in the Lamu Archipelago around 1415–1418. The surviving crew reportedly swam through the ocean to nearby communities, where they were welcomed.
It is through this welcome that the sailors settled, intermarried, and lived with the communities before leaving for their country. Dr Sharifu is among the long descendants rooted in these relations.
Over the years, there have been attempts to recover remains of some of these ships. In July 2010, archaeologists from China began searching for the remains as they sought to provide evidence of the first contact between China and East Africa.
On July 15, 2025, Dr Sharifu revisited history and took a tour to Zheng He's historical relics exhibition hall. Sharifu soaked in the presence of history while marvelling at Fuzhou's rapid development and the dedication to preserving Zheng He's legacy.
Her visit also included a tour of the Zhenghe Square, Xianying Palace, and other Zhenghe heritage sites.
