In the Bamburi area of Mombasa County, the Samba Arena Club stands out as an unconventional church service venue. While other bars are cleaning up from the previous night’s drinking, the club is setting up for its Sunday service that starts at around 5 am.
Regulars gather to hear gospel music and take breaks to reflect and pray for themselves, their families, and their country.
The service is conducted by DJ Ramadhan Tsuma and his selector Jackson Bari, who read Bible verses and offer words of hope and advice. The Samba Arena Club has become a refuge for locals who feel judged harshly in conventional churches.
Despite the presence of alcohol and smoking, the club-goers feel the presence of God among them. The service was started during the Covid-19 pandemic and has grown in popularity.
Bamburi is a bustling suburb of Mombasa with many nightclubs and entertainment venues that have brought in famous DJs for nightly shows, attracting even more people.
