Senators demand share of Lapsset profits for Lamu County
Lamu Governor Issah Timamy (right) and Senator Abu Chiaba during a press conference on February 3, 2015 at the Panafric Hotel. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP.
What you need to know:
- Lamu Senator said the residents should be involved from the beginning to the end to ensure a good rapport between the contractors and the locals.
- Kiambu Senator Kimani Wamatangi said the county should not be left begging for inclusion in the construction but should be directly involved from the start.
- Lamu's economy has slumped following a series of terrorist attacks by Al-Shabaab.
Senators are demanding an allocation to Lamu County from profits made by the trillion-shilling Lapsset project.
They want the national government to develop a plan to ensure the county gets a specific amount from the billions of money expected to be made from the project.
The lawmakers said the county should not be sidelined even though the project was a national one.
They also want the national government to ensure that the county residents are given priority in the jobs set aside for locals from the project.
During a visit of the ongoing construction of the Lamu Port on Saturday, the senators said it would be wrong if the devolved government did not get any allocation to develop its infrastructure and improve its economy.
OFFICIAL GROUNDBREAKING
The Senate Infrastructure Committee, chaired by Mr Abu Chiaba, visited the Lamu port in Manda Island to check on the progress of the construction before its official groundbreaking by President Uhuru Kenyatta next week.
Mr Chiaba, also Lamu Senator, said the residents should be involved from the beginning to the end to ensure a good rapport between the contractors and the locals.
"We want to be clear in saying that all the people of Lamu are involved in the Lapsset project. We have to make a piece of legislation to make sure that the county gets an allocation from this project," said Mr Chiaba.
They supported Mr Chiaba, saying a specific allocation would be the best payback to the residents, who were now eager to know what gains they would make from it.
Kiambu Senator Kimani Wamatangi said the county should not be left begging for inclusion in the construction but should be directly involved from the start.
"Before getting an allocation which might take time the county government can be asked to deliver key services like shipping of required materials that will enable them make money from it," said Mr Wamatangi.
The Lamu Port-South-Sudan-Ethiopia-Transport (Lapsset) corridor project is estimated to cost more than Sh2.5 trillion although it covers a slew of landmark projects including an oil refinery, standard gauge railway, a highway and an oil pipeline in addition to the port.
HAPPY WITH PROGRESS
The lawmakers were happy with the progress of construction although they asked that it be hurried so that Kenyans begin to reap from it as soon as possible.
"We do not want this to be another white elephant. With the billions of money put in it we want the people of Lamu to benefit from it soonest. We do not want a project that promises a lot but at the end people suffer instead," said Senator Judith Sijeny.
They said the region would be boosted economically when the project is completed.
Lamu's economy has slumped following a series of terrorist attacks by Al-Shabaab.
"We are excited about the prospects of this project. We hope that it will spur economic activity in this region. We expect an economic buffer zone here when it is done," added the Kiambu Senator.
Nominated Senator Lisa Chelule said it was important for locals to be considered first in the distribution of Lapsset jobs.
Lamu Governor Issa Timamy supported the senators’ proposal saying there should be a specific allocation to his county from what is collected from the project that connects Kenya, South Sudan and Ethiopia.
"Residents should benefit from it. From what it is collected we should get some money to expand and maintain our infrastructure," said the governor.
The President is expected to officially kick off the construction work next Monday, about two months after promising to do so in March.
HEADQUARTERS COMPLETE
The construction of Lapsset headquarters is complete.
The location of the oil refinery also came up following rumours that it could be moved from Lamu to Isiolo.
Mr Timamy said it would not make sense to have the refinery miles away from the ocean.
"Almost all refineries in the world are built next to the sea for ease of transport of crude oil and the refined products. It should be in Lamu," said Mr Timamy when he met the senators in his office.
