Mombasa modern period, Mombasa was a key node in the complex and far reaching Indian Ocean trading networks, its key exports then were ivory, millet, sesamum and coconuts. In the late pre-colonial period (late 19th century), it was the metropolis of a plantation society, which became dependent on slave labour (sources contradict whether the city was ever an important place for exporting slaves) but ivory caravans remained a major source of economic prosperity. Mombasa became the major port city of pre-colonial Kenya in the Middle Ages and was used to trade with other African port cities, the Persian Empire, the Arabian
Technical University of Mombasa After its inception, MIOME started providing technical education to Muslim students of East Africa. In May 1951, MIOME enrolled its first batch of students to undergo a technical education programme which placed special emphasis on Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Seamanship and Navigation, and Woodwork. In 1966 MIOME become Mombasa Technical Institute (MTI) and started to admit all people feom different walks of life regardless of religion or race. In the year 1976, MTI became Mombasa Polytechnic. On 23 August 2007, through a Legal Notice Mombasa Polytechnic was elevated to a University College thus the name Mombasa Polytechnic University College (MPUC).