Mfangano Island

Country: Kenya

City /Town:  Homa Bay County

Location: Mfangano Island, Kenya

Area: 65 km2

Overview: 

Mfangano Island lies in the eastern part of Lake Victoria, at the mouth of Winam Gulf, accessible by air on either a charter flight direct to Mfangano Island airstrip or to Rusinga Airstrip near Mbita where you take a speed boat to Mfangano, alternatively take a scheduled commercial flight to Homa Bay Airport which is about 45 minutes from Mbita and proceed to take a speed boat to Mfangano Island. The island is 65 km2 in an area that rises to 1,694 m at Mount Kwitutu. Mfangano is part of Homa Bay County and lies west of Rusinga Island.

The Island is home to the largest population of Olusuba or Suba people, as a result of intermarriage between Suba men and Luo women from the mainland, Olusuba is becoming rarer, as its tradition for children to learn     the “mother tongue”. The other languages spoke on the island include Luo, Swahili, and English. The eastern side of the island is concentrated with the Luo tribe, who are mostly fishermen and subsistence farmers. Some of the inhabitants of Mfangano are believed to be descendants of emigrants from the Buganda Kingdom in Uganda who arrived after the controversial early 18th century killing of the Kabaka juju.

Most inhabitants live near the water for ease of access to fishing and collecting the day’s water supply. Transportation consists mostly on foot and by small wooden handmade boats that sometimes have a sail. There are a few bicycles now that the government cut a road circling the island on which motorbikes can travel. The 1st car driven on the island’s soil was in February 2, 2007, since then several vehicles have been seen including local transportation.

The Uniqueness of this Island: 

• Mfangano Island is home to the Twa people, also known as Batwa or pygmies.
• The Island is known for its ancient rock art, created by early forager-hunters.
• The caves called Kibaga.
• Surrounded by the largest great lake by water area on the continent, the world’s largest tropical lake, and the second largest fresh water body in the world.

Accommodation Options on the Island:

• Mfangano Island Lodge
• Kisuri Resort
• Takawiri Victoria Sands (Takawiri Island, Mbita)

Places of interest: 

• Visit the Abasuba Community Peace Museum
• Cycling around the Island
• Watersports – kayaking, windsurfing, or water skiing
• Swimming in Lake Victoria
• Sundowner
• Visit to the ancient rock art in Mawanga Cave and Kwitone
• Community visits & school visits
• Birdwatching