A section of the standard gauge railway line launched by President Uhuru
Kenyatta in Changamwe on April 10, 2014. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION
MEDIA GROUP
The High Court on Thursday stopped the construction of the Sh327
billion Mombasa-Nairobi railway line until a case filed by Kibwezi MP
Patrick Musimba is heard and determined.
Justice Charles Kariuki suspended the project for 14 days after hearing an application by the MP.
Through
lawyer Kethi Kilonzo, Mr Musimba said Kibwezi residents were not
compensated for land acquired by the government for the project.
Ms
Kilonzo told the court that residents were not properly compensated for
land compulsorily acquired by the government for the project.
She said the residents were not given notice before the take-over, as required by the law.
The
lawyer said residents will suffer economically as the land will be
fenced off with a perimeter wall and thus inhibit their movement and
that of their livestock to grazing fields.
PROPER ACQUISITION
Ms Kilonzo said proper acquisition of the land should be done and residents ought to be compensated.
Justice Kariuki ordered the case to be heard on November 6.
In
the case, the MP has sued the National Land Commission, the Kenya
Railway Corporation and the Attorney-General, while China Roads and
Bridges Corporation has been named as an interested party.
The Sh327 billion project was launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta in April.
Transport
and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau had said compulsory
acquisition of land for the first phase of the standard gauge railway
line from Mombasa to Nairobi will cost Sh10 billion.
He
had said 11,000 acres will be compulsorily acquired from individuals
and government agencies along the 609-kilometre Nairobi-Mombasa stretch.
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