Results of Portuguese stay at the coast of East AfricaPositive:- The Portuguese built Fort Jesus at the coast in Mombasa in1592/3 which became a fortress and later a tourist attraction for centuries.
- They enriched the Swahili language with an addition of 60 words e.g. emeza meaning table and pesa meaning money.
- They introduced new crops from South Africa of which many have become staple diet for many East Africans e.g. cassava, pawpaws, maize, oranges, sweet potatoes, guavas, pineapples and mangoes
- They made an improvement in ship building. During their stay on the coast, many architects came in from India and Europe.
- There was establishment of closer trading links between the coast and India.
- They introduced new farming methods for example they encouraged the use of cow dung as manure.
- They led to the coming of more European and Asian traders and craftsmen especially those who helped in the building of Fort Jesus.
- They broke the Muslim- Arab monopoly of the Indian Ocean Trade.
Negative:- Trade declined due to the constant wars and rebellions and heavy taxes imposed.
- There was decline of the coastal towns because many were burnt down and left in ruins for example Kilwa and Mombasa.
- There was widespread poverty and misery among the coastal people due to decline in trade.
- There was heavy loss of lives during the attacks.
- There was destruction of property like buildings and crops, which led to famine and starvation.
- The coastal people suffered oppression and brutality under harsh rule of the Portuguese.
- Their religion, Christianity, made no impact at the coast because they lived far from their subjects and stagnation of the Islamic faith because discouraged preaching.
- There was depopulation due to the many wars in the areas smuggling developed because the Portuguese had failed to establish proper trading links with the Interior.
- Some towns were prevented from trading with their initial partners which led to their decay e.g. Gedi
- They led to the European interest at the coast hence leading to the colonization in the 19th Century.
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Chapisha Maoni