THIMLICH OHINGA FORT BECOMES KENYA’S LATEST WORLD HERITAGE SITE
(Posted 10th August 2018)
Located near the town of Migori in Western Kenya did the remains of this 16th century settlement become Kenya’s latest UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The stone walls, built without the use of mortar – similar to the ruins of Great Zimbabwe but not with the same finesse – served as a protective circle for livestock, food stores and people and Thimlich Ohinga is one of several such examples preserved until today.
The recognition as a UNESCO WHS is expected to give the Western Kenyan region a further boost vis a vis cultural and historical tourism.
Meanwhile was the Lake Turkana World Heritage Site, during the same session Thimlich Ohinga was declared a World Heritage Site, designated as a World Heritage Site in Danger due to the negative effects of the Gibe dam projects in Ethiopia, which have drastically reduced the inflow of water, leading to a significant reduction in water levels and a sharp rise in salinity of the water.
