Compensation for residents affected by the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone will be completed at the of the month, the government has said.
Investments,Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya said compensation for the 1,648 project affected persons is underway.
The government allocated Sh1.4 billion to the Kenya Ports Authority to finalise the process and ensure the residents are relocated to 430-acre designated land.
“As the implementing agency, KPA should expedite the resettlement and compensation of 1,648 project-affected persons by the end of September this year,” Mvurya said.
“KPA will also deal with grievances raised by the affected persons. Once concluded, the land will be ready for development.”
He spoke on Monday after chairing a multisectoral consultative engagement at KPA headquarters.
Local leaders from Mombasa and Kwale counties attended the meeting.
Principal Secretary Abubakar Hassan, Special Economic Zone Authority CEO Kenneth Langat, KPA management and other key partners attended the meeting.
The meeting highlighted the significant milestones achieved by SEZA in developing the area.
“We are also happy that our partnership with the government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency is funding the project to the tune of Sh58 billion,” Mvurya said.
He said the project has already attracted 97 investors.
Sixty per cent of the investors who have shown interest are local, and 40 per cent are foreign.
The CS urged investors to capitalise on the opportunity by establishing their companies within six months of acquiring the license, warning that failure to do so could result in the withdrawal of operational licenses.
“We are ready to host investors because this project will generate job opportunities for residents," he said.
Mvurya emphasised the importance of holding regular consultative meetings with local leaders to address any emerging issues.
“We have noted an information gap between partners and grassroots leadership, however, that will have to change,” he said.
There are plans to train the youth at vocational institutions and universities to equip them with set of skills that are relevant to the emerging job opportunities.
Mvurya instructed the PS to form a technical team to address the skills gap among the youth.
“The team will work closely with the academia and institutions of higher learning to provide targeted training that aligns with the needs of the investors setting up premises in the area,” he said.
This initiative will help meet the requirement for 50 per cent local employment and ensure that the youth are well-prepared for the upcoming job opportunities.
