Swazuri on the spot for giving local firm  3,200 acres

National Land Commission Chairman, Muhammad Swazuri. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE

What you need to know:

  • In court filings, the US firm says Dr Swazuri’s move is part of a ploy to help the local firm, Kenwind, to hijack its wind power project and wants the Malindi High Court to intervene.
  • Cordisons has sued Dr Swazuri, the NLC, the Land ministry, Lamu County and the  Attorney-General as it seeks to quash a gazette notice published in August 2016 that greenlit Kenwind’s project.

National Land Commission Chairman Muhammad Swazuri is on the spot for allocating a local energy firm 3,200 acres of land that the Lamu County had already allocated to an American company, Cordisons International, for the construction of a Sh23 billion wind power plant.

Cordisons claims that the disputed land is part of the 11,100 acres that Lamu County had instructed Dr Swazuri to allocate it.

In court filings, the US firm says Dr Swazuri’s move is part of a ploy to help the local firm, Kenwind, to hijack its wind power project and wants the Malindi High Court to intervene.

Cordisons has sued Dr Swazuri, the NLC, the Land ministry, Lamu County and the  Attorney-General as it seeks to quash a gazette notice published in August 2016 that greenlit Kenwind’s project.

The Environment and Land Court in Malindi has issued a temporary order suspending the gazette notice until Cordison’s suit has been heard.

In its response, Lamu County says it approved Cordison’s project in 2013 and allocated 11,100 acres to the American firm, but that the NLC now seeks to hive off 3,200 acres and give it to Kenwind.

The NLC has thrown its weight behind Kenwind, arguing that the local firm had already obtained the necessary approvals from the national government.