The Government dispatched a high-powered delegation to Lamu to calm tempers among residents ahead of the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Lamu Port by President Kibaki next month.

Workers clear mangrove forest at the site for the proposed new Lamu Port at Hindi-Magogoni in Lamu County at the weekend. PHOTO: MAARUFU MOHAMED/STANDARD

Acting head of civil service, Francis Kimemia, flew into Lamu at the weekend with permanent secretaries to confront several issues hindering the the project kick off. President Kibaki, South Sudan President Salva Kiir, Prime Minister Raila Odinga and his Ethiopian counterpart Meles Zenawi are expected to attend the ceremony. Raila will tour the site on Tuesday.

Key concerns Kimemia tackled with his team and local leaders included compensation for land, mangrove forest destruction and lack of water.
Kimemia told residents they would be given title deeds and get adequate compensation for their land, be supplied with water and get priority in employment at new port. “Don’t be worried about losing an inch of your land. This is a democratic government and all your concerns will be addressed,” Kimemia said.

Lands PS Ms Dorothy Angote said the ministry would speed up demarcation and processing of title deeds adding that even those without land ownership documents within the port area would be compensated for the ancestral land.

“The issue of compensation for your land is not negotiable. It is enshrined in the Constitution under the Bill of Rights,” she said amid cheers.

“Our concern is that title deeds have not been issued while port construction is about to start,” said Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Lamu East MP Abu Chiaba.

He said Lamu residents welcomed the port project although the Government had delayed compensation for land, which would have resolved the current fears and protests.

Chairman of the Lamu Port Steering Committee Mr Abdalla Fadhili said lack of information about the project from Government led to pockets of resistance.

He demanded that the Government funds his committee adequately to enable it carry out a comprehensive sensitisation programme.

Outweighs the loss

Fadhili who is a former Lamu County Council chairman also told the state to keep its pledge of offering adequate compensation to land owners and ensuring locals benefit from the port deal. “We demand an attractive social component for the port project. I don’t want my committee to be used as a rubber-stamp for this project,” Fadhili warned.

Other PSs were Dr Cyrus Njiru of Transport, David Stower (Water), Patrick Nyoike (Energy), Prof John Lonyangapuo (Public Works), James Waweru (Youths and Sports), Ali Mohamed (Environment) and Mineral Resources) and Ms Leah Gwiyo (Tourism). They visited the port site where mangroves were being cleared for the project.

“We care for the environment but benefits to be accrued from this project far outweigh the loss,” said Environment PS Ali Mohamed.

Stower said drilling of boreholes had already began to supply the port and local communities.

“We are sinking the initial 10 boreholes that will provide 1.2 million litres a day,” he said adding that the Treasury has released the initial Sh100 million for the project.

Earlier, Stower had said up to Sh400 million would be spent in the borehole project located about 15 kilometres from the port site.

By PATRICK BEJA, The Standard

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