HistoryMalindi has been a Swahili settlement since the 14th century. Once rivaled only by Mombasa for dominance in this part of East Africa, Malindi has traditionally been a port city for foreign powers. In 1414, the town was visited by the fleet of the Chinese explorer Zheng He. Malindi's ruler sent a personal envoy together with a giraffe as a present to China on that fleet. The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama met Malindi authorities in 1498 to sign a trade agreement and hire a guide for the voyage to India, when he erected a still existent coral pillar. In 1499 the Portuguese established a trading post in Malindi which served as a resting stop on the way to and from India. A church dates from this era. The pillar stands to this day, though there have been calls by conservationists to take care of the pillar, since soil erosion might make the pillar fall into the ocean. Many traditional buildings survive, including the Juma Mosque and palace on the beach, a stretch popular with tourists. Local governanceMalindi forms a municipal council with the following thirteen wards: Barani, Ganda/Mkaumoto, Gede, Gede North, Gede South, Kijiwetanga, Madunguni, Malimo, Malindi Central, Malindi North, Maweni, Shella, Watamu Town. All of them are located within Malindi Constituency.[2] The mayor of Malindi is Mohamed Menza.[3] Malindi is also one of four administrative divisions in Malindi District. It has the following eight locations: Chakama, Ganda, Gede, Goshi, Jilore, Langobaya, Malindi and Watamu.[4] References
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