History of Kota Kinabula

The start of Kota Kinabula begins in the far off days of the 1800’s when the British North Borneo Company set up a small settlement in Gaya Bay already somewhat developed by the Bajau people. This created understandable friction and resentments by the Bajau  who rebelled against the British company and in 1897 the whole settlement was destroyed by Bajau rebels led by Mat Salleh

The company relocated to the more protected island of Api-Api which became the highly successful port of Jesselton named after company vice chairman Sir Charles Jessel. It was also terminus for the newly built railway making it a major trading post for rubber, wax, honey and rattan. However, despite the prosperity brought by trading Jesselton was never a political success and the company fought off attacks and demonstrations by Bajau rebels constantly.

For the next forty years the British hung on to Jesselton until the Japanese invaded. The town endured bombing after this by the British. Bombing was extensive and little remained of this mighty harbor and railway terminus when the Japanese surrendered in 1945.

The British North Borneo Company returned to rebuild Jesselton but failed due to financing problems. The new colonial government took over to elect Jesselton as the capital of North Borneo.

Jesselton was renamed Kota Kinabula by the Federation of Malaysia in 1968 and received full city status from the Malaysian government on February 2 2000.