Uhuru Lamu tour called off due to row over list

President Uhuru Kenyatta shares a light moment with leaders from Lamu County when he witnessed the signing of a commitment to coexist at the Boma Hotel, Nairobi. A dispute over compensation of people whose land was taken for the construction of the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Project has led to a last-minute cancellation of President Kenyatta’s visit to the North Coast county. PHOTO | PSCU | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• Mr Kenyatta was scheduled to visit the county Tuesday for the ground breaking ceremony for the first three berths of the proposed Lamu port.
• Monday, Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu and National Land Commission chairman Muhammad Swazuri held meetings with Lamu County leaders, including Governor Issa Timamy, to resolve the compensation dispute.
• The committee comprises Land ministry officials and representatives of the Kenya Ports Authority, the National Land Commission and the Lamu County government.

By NATION REPORTER
More by this Author

A dispute over compensation of people whose land was taken for the construction of the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Project has led to a last-minute cancellation of President Kenyatta’s visit to the North Coast county.

The tour was cancelled Monday as Land bosses and Lamu County leaders formed a committee to harmonise three lists of people seeking compensation.

Mr Kenyatta was scheduled to visit the county Tuesday for the ground breaking ceremony for the first three berths of the proposed Lamu port.

Last week, aggrieved land owners obtained a High Court order suspending further works on the Lapsset project until their case was heard and determined.

Monday, Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu and National Land Commission chairman Muhammad Swazuri held meetings with Lamu County leaders, including Governor Issa Timamy, to resolve the compensation dispute.

Mrs Ngilu arrived at the Manda Airstrip around 11am, ahead of Dr Swazuri.

She joined Mr Timamy, Deputy Governor Eric Mugo, Senator Mohammed Abu Chiaba, Lamu West MP Julius Ndegwa and members of the county assembly, who had gathered at a hotel in the town. Later, Dr Swazuri joined them.

Mrs Ngilu said she and Dr Swazuri had been sent by the President to the county to resolve the dispute.
“We want to know clearly who are to be compensated,” she said.

CLOSED-DOOR MEETING

The leaders then went into a closed-door meeting at the Kenya Ports Authority offices.

After about an hour and 30 minutes, they came out and announced to journalists that they had formed a technical committee to harmonise the three lists.

The committee comprises Land ministry officials and representatives of the Kenya Ports Authority, the National Land Commission and the Lamu County government.

Mr Timamy said the leaders would ensure the affected land owners are paid Sh1.5 million per acre “as earlier agreed”. “We shall make sure the issue is resolved.