On Tuesday night, the City Council has the chance to add one more Sister City—this time in Mombasa, Kenya!

 

How many sister cities does Long Beach already have?  Hundreds? Thousands?

 

Nine.  The item, put on by Councilmember Bonnie Lowenthal, is a big deal, considering that the last sister city was added in 1994 with Phnom, Cambodia (a “Friendship City”—Guadalajara, Mexico—was added in 2001 because there can only be one Sister City per country).

 

Why Mombasa?  According to Lowenthal’s office, it’s because Mombasa is so similar to Long Beach, including “a population of half a million and the largest port in East Africa, the City of Mombasa is filled with tourism, historical attractions, entertainment activities and diverse culture.”

 

I would like to imagine that in addition to all those great similarities, they also have an East African version of our own City Council.  I imagine the following scenario taking place in the Mombasa City Council chambers:

 

{AGENDA ITEM: BAN MUMBASA-MART THROUGH A SPECIAL ELECTION)

 

Mayor Shekue Ali Shekue: “Next up, spending 510,000 Kenyan Shillings for a special election to ban Mega Mumbasa-Mart”

 

Councillor Mohamed Daud: “Ban It!  Who cares how much it costs.  Selling foods like mukimo, ingoho, and githeri at everyday low prices will put tens of people out of business.”

 

Councillor Luyai Liya: “What about the thousands of poor in our city’s slums who could use access to low priced foods? Not to mention the jobs—“

 

Councillor Mohamed Daud: “Silence.  We must protect the tribal bosses, I mean, uh, the people from the terrible business practices of Mumbasa-Mart.  All in favor?”

 

{The Mumbasa votes 5-3 for a special election to ban Mumbasa-Mart, with Councillor Kuldip Sondh obstaining.}

 

Mayor Shekue Ali Shekue: “Next Item, spending 980,000 shillings for a consultant to study the impact of building the Mumbasa Space Needle.”

 

Councillor Jomvu Kuu: “Can there be a casino on it?”

 

Welcome and Good Luck, Mombasa.

 

The City Council Meeting starts at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday.  For more information on Long Beach’s other Sister Cities, visit the Sister Cities of Long Beach, Inc. at www.sistercitiesoflongbeach.org.