Plaza Cinema, Mombasa

 

Plaza Cinema, Mombasa

Do you remember driving by this cinema on your way to Makupa roundabout? Plaza cinema was on the left-hand side about 1/2 a km before the roundabout.

On one of our leisurely drives sometime before 1979, we stopped by there during an evening show. It played Indian movies. That evening an Indian movie had already started. We met the owner. We introduced ourselves indicating we were from Regal. I recall the owner saying he partnered with someone to open the cinema. He worked at the Mombasa Town Council.

While we chatted, I walked into the auditorium to catch a glimpse of the movie. There were about 200-250 seats. There were about 50 movie patrons. It looked like a comfortable cinema. There was no balcony. The structure was supported by a number of square pillars about a foot in length. The seats were positioned so that for the most part you had an unobstructed view.

The Nation and Standard would include the Plaza cinema in the Mombasa movie listings. I remember when Kabhi Kabhie played in Mombasa around 1976/1977. All cinemas including the Plaza Cinema and except Regal showed this movie!

ref: below is an excerpt from the Awaaz Magazine

some feedback from the facebook post:

Joseph Ayoro

The late Yusuf Dartey is the one who work with municipal council of Mombasa as accountant, he was a co owner of Plaza cinema , he was our neighbors at Ganjoni, but still his family staying at Ganjoni currently.

George Kisundi

When I was young our late Dad took us to the Plaza Cinema and watched a local production called 'Mlevi' starring veteran late comedian Mzee Pembe.