@ppcheti
Lamu county leaders and persons displaced by the stalled Sh21 billion wind power plant want the national government to come clean on the fate of the project and compensation for their land.
The project was to be undertaken by the Baharini Wind Power Project, a consortium of Elicio Company which is a Belgium firm, in coordination with Kenyan firm-Kenwind Holdings Limited Company.
About 3,400 acres had been acquired in Baharini, Mpeketoni, in Lamu West for the project which was expected to generate 90 megawatts on completion.
The wind project, whose plan included 38 turbines, was however nullified by the Lamu county assembly in July 2020, citing failure by the investor to comply with regulations.
More than 1,000 people were displaced after their land was acquired the project and have been waiting for compensation ever since.
While cancelling the project, the Lamu assembly said the failure by the implementing firm to follow the right procedures in setting up the wind plant had resulted in confusion, chaos and displacement among the surrounding communities and landowners.
On July 22, 2015, the county assembly approved the establishment of the project on condition that the investor meets a set of recommendations. They included the renewal of Nema's environmental impact assessment licence.
The project was also required not to overlap any other land legally surveyed for different economic purposes. Land was to be acquired through the National Land Commission with approval of the county government for not more than 25 years.
The project Resettlement Action Plan was also to be approved by the county assembly with or without amendment, with the approval only allowing for wind power generation alone, among other conditions.
According to a report read on the floor of the county assembly back then, the investor was accused of being directly involved in the resettlement action plan instead of allowing the SGS Kenya to work independently and as a result affected and influenced the fair outcome of the process.
The assembly then directed that the lands that had been earmarked for the project be handed back to the owners.
Years on, however, landowners have complained over the continued silence over the fate of the project and their compensation.
Bahari MCA Francis Gakonga said the majority of the affected owners are now squatters after they surrendered their land for the project, with the hopes of being compensated shortly after to enable them to find alternative settlement.
“But the compensation hasn’t happened and no one is talking. Are they getting their lands back or are they being paid for the same? That's what we want the government to help us understand,” Gakonga said.
Considering the number of years that have gone by without action from the state, the affected persons are asking to be handed back their lands.
“At this point we just want them to allow us back into our lands. The fact that this project has been politicised gives us very little hope to hold on to. Also, the more we wait, the higher the chances of being duped of our land. That happens a lot here,” Simon Muchiri said.
They also want the title deed issued to the investor revoked until further notice.
“That tells us a lot. That we haven’t been compensated yet the investor already has a deed processed. We find it suspicious," Lucy Waitherero said.
Earlier this month, Lands CS Zachariah Njeru was in Lamu county and promised to have all pending land issues in the region reviewed.
The issues include a review of all land intended for state projects and which compensation has yet to happen.