Opinion and Analysis
A road under construction. IFC mainly invests in infrastructure. PHOTO | FILE
By BUSINESS DAILY
As the country endeavours to implement various
projects that should cement its status as a middle-income economy and
put it firmly on the path towards developed nation status, we are
increasingly encountering self-imposed roadblocks that slow down
progress and which will prove costly in the long term.
In the most recent case, land ownership squabbles have led
to the doubling from 21 to 42 months of the construction period of a
coal-fired 982 megawatt power plant in Lamu.
Recently, there were fears that a 400MW wind power
plant in Meru would not takeoff after it emerged that owners on whose
land the turbines will be situated had not been consulted.
There were also claims of contested ownership. The
land issue is a thorny, widespread issue. The standard gauge railway
project has witnessed numerous stoppages because of protests by
residents and their leaders demanding more money for their land.
On the outskirts of Nairobi, the Southern bypass
would have been completed was if not for court cases filed by aggrieved
land owners demanding additional compensation.
These missteps point towards poor planning which
end up costing taxpayers dearly. Before big-ticket projects can start,
it behooves the planners to secure iron clad guarantees from all
parties, land owners included, to avoid nasty surprises down the road.
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