Swazuri tells off politicians on rail project

National Land Commission chairman Muhammad Swazuri while educating residents of Skembo village on how to fill the land compensation form on June 8, 2015. The Commission's officials were chased away from the by residents protesting what they termed as poor compensation for the standard gauge railway project land. FILE PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • In a telephone interview, Dr Swazuri said many of the problems the project had faced so far emanated from political leaders who, in some instances, incited the people.
  • He asked politicians to see the bigger picture in the Sh327 billion railway project, saying it will bring massive economic gains to Kenya and the East African region.
  • He expressed optimism that a meeting today between the commission, Mr Joho, the Kenya National Highway Authority (Kenha) and representatives of the China Road and Bridge Corporation and Kenya Railways Corporation will come up with a solution.

National Land Commission Chairman Muhammad Swazuri has told politicians to keep off the standard gauge railway project and stop inciting the public on matters of land acquisition.

Dr Swazuri gave an assurance that all people whose property would be taken by the project would be compensated.

In a telephone interview, Dr Swazuri said many of the problems the project had faced so far emanated from political leaders who, in some instances, incited the people.

But his sentiments go against demands by Kwale County Governor Salim Mvurya and his Mombasa counterpart Ali Hassan Joho, who have vowed to resist the project unless the affected land owners are compensated adequately.

ECONOMIC GAINS

“The National Land Commission will compensate all the affected people in accordance with the laid down law. We have done it in the past,” said Dr Swazuri.

He asked politicians to see the bigger picture in the Sh327 billion railway project, saying it will bring massive economic gains to Kenya and the East African region.

“This is a mega project not only for Kenya but for East and Central Africa and the whole continent. Leaders should see it in that perspective,” he added.

He expressed optimism that a meeting today between the commission, Mr Joho, the Kenya National Highway Authority (Kenha) and representatives of the China Road and Bridge Corporation and Kenya Railways Corporation will come up with a solution.

“The meeting has been called to resolve the outstanding issues and I am quite positive that we shall reach an amicable solution so that the project can proceed uninterrupted,” said Dr Swazuri.

For more than two weeks, the project has stalled at Skembo near the Kenya Ports Authority (its origin point), Mkupe and Maganda, all in Mombasa County, following protests from land owners over poor compensation.

Some of the landowners were to receive as little as Sh4,572.