Malindi is poised for a major transformation with the development of the Royal Tulia Gardens, a Ksh 5 billion residential project targeting diaspora returnees.
The ambitious initiative, spearheaded by Capital Compass Group Limited, is tapping into the growing interest from African Americans and other diaspora communities seeking to reconnect with their roots and invest in Kenya.
According to Ralph Kilondu, Chairman of Capital Compass Group Limited, the project has already attracted over 100 diaspora investors, most of them professionals and is expected to stimulate the local economy significantly.
“This development is not only boosting real estate in Malindi but also having a triple impact on the local economy, especially through the hospitality industry,” Kilondu said.
The project received a major boost through a relocation initiative targeting African Americans seeking to return to their ancestral homeland.
Adilah Relocation Services, founded by Adilah Mohammad, a Black American, is playing a key role in this movement.
Speaking in Malindi during a house tour for one of her clients at Royal Tulia Gardens, Adilah noted that 15 families, including her own partner, have successfully relocated to Kenya.
“We assist anyone abroad who wants to relocate to Africa and reconnect with their roots. Malindi is ideal because of its beautiful weather, peace, and proximity to the airport,” she explained.
“Today, we’re here with a client from Canada via Jamaica who is relocating and wants to feel that deep connection with the Coast to feel at home.” Adilah emphasized that the relocation process is smooth and comprehensive.
“We focus on Black professionals, particularly African Americans whose ancestors were displaced centuries ago.
“We handle immigration legally, open bank accounts, connect clients to healthcare, and support them through the entire transition,” she said.
The push to relocate, she noted, is largely due to the social injustices faced by black communities in the West including racism and police brutality.
“This is not about fleeing the U.S. presidency of Donald Trump. We started this long before his term.
His administration only highlighted what many of us already knew that we weren’t truly wanted. We’re not running away; we’re coming home,” Adilah said.
Among those looking to settle in Malindi is Erica Johnson, a Jamaican living in Canada who is visiting Africa for the first time.
She said reconnecting with her roots has brought her a sense of peace and belonging. “The West has a distorted view of who we are. I’m here to retire in a peaceful environment and embrace a place that feels like home,” she shared.
“Being by the coast reminds me of my childhood in Jamaica,” she added.
Stephanie Liggon, Adilah’s partner and one of the returnees, praised the relocation support she received.
“Adilah Relocation Services guided my husband and me every step of the way. Now, we’re helping others come back to their roots.” Liggon added, “It’s so uplifting to see people who look like us. Abroad, many go through so many struggles and frustrations. Coming home is healing.”
