Lamu port construction delayed over compensation row

The construction of the first three berths at the port of Lamu has been delayed following the failure by various government agencies to agree on the list of landowners to be compensated.

The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) expressed fears that if the stalemate persists, it could face massive losses.

Kenya Ports Authority chairman Danson Mungatana told journalists at KPA headquarters on Tuesday that the national government had already released the compensation package.

However, he expressed disappointment that despite having signed an agreement with the contractor for the job to start this month, the future did not look bright.

President Uhuru Kenyatta was scheduled to visit Lamu on Wednesday to lay a foundation stone to kick off of the construction of the three berths.

DIFFERENT COMPENSATION LISTS

But he did not, as the differences over the lists provided by Cabinet Secretary for Lands Charity Ngilu, the county government and a consultant rage on.

The national government, through former County Commissioner Steve Ikua, had released a list of 146 beneficiaries to the compensation.

However, this list was disputed by the county government which, through Governor Issa Timamy, gave another list of 62.

A consultant later came up with a different list, whose figure was not released. Recently, Mrs Ngilu disputed all the earlier lists and came up with hers, composed of 58 beneficiaries.

There is further controversy in the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) corridor project, with several residents claiming ownership of parcels of land along the Hindi-Magogoni road, which leads to the port site at Kililana and who claim they were left out of the list of residents to be compensated.

COMPENSATION WARANGLES

The government announced two months ago that it had set aside Sh1 billion for the compensation, which should have been done by now.

“We already have the money, but we are disappointed that the wrangles over the compensation list are delaying the whole thing. We hope things will be sorted out quickly so that we may embark on this very important project. Once we are given the green light, we shall set out immediately,” said Mungatana during the press briefing.

The chairman appealed to those involved in the verification of the beneficiaries to make sure there were no loopholes so as to allow a smooth flow of the project once it starts.

“It will be very unfortunate for us to start the project only for somebody else to emerge to claim this or that. We wish that the process goes on systematically so that once we start, we move smoothly ahead without interference,” he said.