Places of Worship: Makindu Gurdwara

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Fazal Ahmad, London, UK

Location: Makindu, Kenya
Belief: Sikhism
Era: 1926 CE

At the start of the 20^th century, the British Empire decided to build a railway line linking the coastal town of Mombasa in Kenya with Uganda. The effort and expense needed to build such a railway in the middle of Africa led some liberals in the UK to name it the ‘Lunatic Line’.

A large number of skilled workers from India emigrated to Kenya for the construction, and the Sikh community, working on the tracks between Mombasa and Nairobi, felt the need for a temple and community hub. In the late 1890s, Muslim, Sikh, and Hindu workers would gather in the evenings under a tree to remember their Creator in their own ways, in a spirit of mutual respect. The first gurdwara on the site was a small tin-roofed building hastily erected by the workers in 1902. 

The main temple that is seen today was built in 1926. The design of domes is reminiscent of similar temples in the Punjab region of India. The complex also includes halls, guest rooms, a langar (communal kitchen), and a farm that provides produce for the vegetarian kitchen.

Today, the temple is the most well-known in all of East Africa and attracts Sikh pilgrims from around the world. The traditional Sikh flagpole can be seen from a distance on the highway between Nairobi and Mombasa. It is also a popular stop-off point for travellers of all faiths, providing free accommodation for two nights and food from the langar, which operates 24 hours a day. The langar concept of feeding guests for free, with the kitchen run by volunteers, is inspired by Guru Nanak.

The Sikh community of Kenya also recently celebrated 550 years since the advent of Guru Baba Nanak and is proud that the first President of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta, also visited this Gurdwara many years ago.

References:

“Makindu Sikh Temple,” World Gurdwaras, Accessed: September 3, 2025. https://www.worldgurudwaras.com/makindu-sikh-temple/.

P. Briggs & L. Williams, DK Eyewitness Travel: Kenya (Dorling Kindersley Limited, 2015).