Sh860m released for Lamu port pay-out after four-year delay
What you need to know:
- The money, part of Sh1.3 billion budgeted for the compensation by the government, was released by the National Land Commission.
- Mr Muthaura also assured landowners who have not been paid that they will receive their money once the lands commission sorts out current hitches.
About Sh860 million has been wired to pay off landowners who will be displaced to give way for the construction of the Lamu Port.
Lapsset corridor development authority director-general, Mr Silvester Kasuku, said the money was released yesterday to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts.
The money, part of Sh1.3 billion budgeted for the compensation by the government, was released by the National Land Commission.
“We have paid about 120 beneficiaries out of the 157 people approved in the first batch. Vetting is ongoing and the rest will be paid in the next two weeks,” said National Land Commission Chairman Muhammad Swazuri.
Lapsset Authority Chairman Francis Muthaura said ground-breaking for the first three berths of Lamu Port would be undertaken immediately the compensation is completed within the first quarter of the year.
STALLED FOR YEARS
Mr Muthaura also assured landowners who have not been paid that they will receive their money once the lands commission sorts out current hitches.
Compensation for hundreds of farmers whose land is within the proposed port site, started on March 2, 2013, immediately after retired President Mwai Kibaki led three regional leaders to lay the foundation stone for the ambitious project.
However, the process stalled for four years, after emergence of parallel lists of claimants prepared by different State agencies amid claims that politicians and senior state officials had sneaked in names of their relatives and friends.
The defunct Lamu county council, the provincial administration and Lands ministry officials were blamed for the confusion. For instance, Lamu county government prepared a list with 62 names, Lands ministry 58, while a list from the local provincial administration had over 100 names of would-be beneficiaries.
