Lamu’s Boni people cry foul over Lapsset compensation

Boni elder Ali Gubo. He has complained of segregation of the Boni community who have been affected by the Lapsset Corridor project. He and other leaders are calling for the community to be compensated for their land. PHOTO | KALUME KAZUNGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The Sh2.5 trillion Lapsset project is being set up at Kililana in Lamu West.
  • The Bonis occupy Basuba Ward in Lamu East which consists of Milimani, Mangai, Mararani, Kiangwe and Basuba.
  • Bonis who are traditionally hunters, honey harvesters and fruit gatherers say the situation has affected their livelihoods.

The Boni minority community has accused the government and the management of the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) Corridor of discriminating against them while compensating those affected by the project.

The Sh2.5 trillion project is being set up at Kililana in Lamu West with the construction of the first three Lapsset deep sea berths already 52 per cent complete.

Addressing journalists in Lamu on Thursday, Boni leaders and the community’s council of elders called on the government and the Lapsset Development Authority to ensure the community is fully compensated for their livelihood which has greatly been affected by the ongoing port construction.

BONI FOREST

Kililana borders the Boni Forest.

The Bonis occupy Basuba Ward in Lamu East which consists of Milimani, Mangai, Mararani, Kiangwe and Basuba.

Other Bonis occupy Pandanguo in Witu Division and Bar’goni in Hindi Division, all of which are in Lamu West.

Hindi Division is the host of the Lapsset project.

A railway line and the proposed road network linking the Lamu Port (Lapsset) to other major cities and neighbouring countries runs through a section of the Boni community land.

The Bonis who are traditionally hunters, honey harvesters and fruit gatherers say the situation has affected their livelihoods as they are no longer able to effectively conduct their ventures.

Basuba Ward MCA Barissa Deko said there is need for the Bonis to be compensated just like the other people affected by the Lapsset Corridor project.

HUNTERS AND GATHERERS

“We are hunters and gatherers and we entirely depend on forests for survival. As you know, thousands of mangroves were destroyed during the establishment of the site for the Lapsset project. We used to harvest the sweetest honey inside the mangrove forests. That means the clearance of such forests has rendered us jobless. I therefore demand compensation for our people. The government is only focusing on compensating land owners and fishermen. They should also reconsider compensating the Bonis. We are also directly affected,” said Mr Deko.

Boni Council of Elders’ spokesperson Doza Diza said it is only fair that the community gets compensated since the Lapsset project has and will continue to disrupt their lives more than any other part in Lamu.

He said there is a likelihood that members of the Boni minority community will end up losing their homes to pave way for the roads, pipelines and railway lines to the port.

“We still can’t understand why the government isn’t talking of compensating us. A good number of the Lapsset components including the roads, railway lines and pipelines will all go through our lands and as such we will be adversely affected by the project. We therefore demand handsome compensation for lands, trees, forests and any other thing belonging to the Bonis that will be caught up in the mix,” said Mr Diza.

DISAPPOINTED

Another Boni elder, Ali Gubo, said the community is also disappointed since the government has not put in place a comprehensive and coherent strategy towards ensuring that the Aweer/Boni community and other indigenous groups are not deprived of their integrity as a people.

Mr Gubo called on the government to ensure the Bonis are given title deeds for their lands.

“Almost all the Bonis in Lamu have no title deeds. We are living as squatters. It’s high time the government provides us with title deeds to protect our lands especially with the mega projects intended in the county which has raised lots of expectations and increased land grabbing in Lamu,” said Mr Gubo.

According to Mr Gubo, the construction of the Lapsset project has particularly put considerable pressure on land ownership and use, with speculators acquiring land, some through illegal, coercive or irregular means at the expense of the Boni community.