Lands Commission says ‘no’ to demands for more money in Lapsset deals
Energy CS Charles Keter (left) and Uganda’s Minister for Energy and Mineral Development Irene Muloni listen to Lapsset Director-General Sylvester Kasuku. A fresh row is brewing between members of the Kililana Farmers Organisation and the National Lands Commission over the allocation of their land to the Lapsset corridor project. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The landowners, whom the State paid millions of shillings for the land in 2015, said the 70,000 acres allocated to the Lapsset Authority was more than what was agreed upon and paid for.
- The Sh1.5 trillion Lapsset project is set for Kililana in Hindi Division with construction of a Sh866 million headquarters and a police station already complete.
- President Uhuru Kenyatta is yet to commission the first three berths, which are to be constructed at a cost of Sh42 billion.
A fresh row is brewing between members of the Kililana Farmers Organisation and the National Lands Commission (NLC) over the allocation of their land to the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia-Transport (Lapsset) corridor project.
The landowners, whom the State paid millions of shillings for the land in 2015, said the 70,000 acres allocated to the Lapsset Authority was more than what was agreed upon and paid for.
Spokesperson Mohamed Rajab told the Daily Nation on Monday that the NLC should respect the rights of the poor farmers near the Lapsset site and ensure that it takes only the land it has paid for.
The Sh1.5 trillion Lapsset project is set for Kililana in Hindi Division with construction of a Sh866 million headquarters and a police station already complete.
The project plan includes a 32-berth port; transportation hubs for rail, highway and international airports in Lamu, Isiolo and Lodwar; an oil pipeline from South Sudan, Uganda and Ethiopia to Lamu Port; an oil refinery; and three resort cities in Isiolo, Lamu and Turkana Counties.
President Uhuru Kenyatta is yet to commission the first three berths, which are to be constructed at a cost of Sh42 billion.
Mr Rajab said if the government needs the 70,000 acres, then it should compensate the rest of the families living in the affected areas and not force them out of their ancestral lands. He appealed to the President to intervene.
Members of Kililana, Mr Rajab said, will have to move to court if their plea is not considered.
“We are not opposing the project but we will have to protect our rights,” said Mr Rajab. “The government compensated people at Kililana and Mashunduani for land less than 70,000 acres.
DEMARCATE ALL LANDS
“We are now shocked to realise that that the entire Kililana area has been allocated to the Lapsset Authority. We will not allow that.”
The organisation’s treasurer, Mr Famau Bakari, said there is a need for NLC to demarcate all lands bordering Lapsset and ensure the owners are given titles for their plots. He said lands near mega projects such as the Lapsset were a major target for grabbers.
Mr Bakari expressed his discontent with the manner in which the Lapsset contractors have allegedly begun invading residents’ lands. He asked the county government and the NLC to speed up the issuance of title deeds to the residents.
However, NLC chairman Muhammed Swazuri said the Lapsset Authority was the only recognised owner of the land and NLC will not issue a title deed to anyone else.
“Those asking for survey and demarcation of land at Kililana should stop it,” said Prof Swazuri. “We only know of one title deed at Kililana, and that belongs to the Lapsset Authority.”
In February, the county government opposed the move by NLC to allocate the 70,000 acres to the Lapsset Authority. Governor Issa Timamy called for an amicable solution to the matter.
