Lamu MCAs accuse county govt of frustrating investors

Three MCAs from Lamu have accused the county government of frustrating investors intending to set up projects in the county.

Bahari Ward MCA Anthony Njomo and nominated MCAs Monica Njambi and Zahara Shee have also threatened to mobilise locals to protest against the county government’s plan to oppose the Sh21 billion wind power plant to be set up in Baharini, Mpeketoni.

The wind power plant project is being undertaken by a Kenyan firm, Kenwind Holdings, in partnership with a Belgian firm, Electrawinds, and the World Bank.

In June 2013, the International Finance Corporation, which is the private sector investment arm of the World Bank, announced its support for the project.

Addressing farmers at Baharini trading centre on Wednesday, the MCAs said the county government of Lamu had no right to keep opposing every investment proposal submitted.

They accused the county government of frustrating Kenwind Holdings, a firm that intends to set up the wind power harnessing plant in Mpeketoni.

Mr Njomo alleged that the county government had rejected the allocation of a 3,200-acre piece of land to the firm for the establishment of the project despite having gone through all the required logistics.

WARNED GOVERNOR TIMAMY

He warned Lamu Governor Issa Timamy and his allies against opposing and frustrating investors saying that the projects will be of benefit to Lamu.

He said it was unfortunate that even as the government makes efforts to bring in investors, the county leadership was busy chasing them away by making unrealistic demands.

“I don’t understand why the county government is opposed to the wind [power] project, for instance. Kenwind Holdings Company has fulfilled all that is required and has even been given a [go-ahead] by the National Land Commission (NLC) to proceed.

"The residents have made a deal and have agreed that it’s okay. We can’t have some individuals cause us misery because of their own personal reasons,” said Mr Njomo.

On her side, Ms Monica Njambi called on the county government to stop bringing politics into development matters.

“Politics and development can never mix. Instead of scaring away investors, let’s work together to bring develop here. There is too much poverty due to the fact that there is no development in Lamu,” said Ms Njambi.

ISSUE TITLE DEEDS

The MCAs called on locals to stand up against leaders who are hell-bent on using their positions to satisfy their own personal desires.

They also asked NLC to speed up processes and ensure squatters residing around the project site in Baharini are given [alternative] plots and title deeds.

“I call on NLC boss Muhammad Swazuri to tell us the budget needed in conducting survey of all the villages in Baharini.

“We are ready to look for such funds and assist NLC in conducting land survey and carry out land demarcation and issuance of title deeds to locals at Baharini,” said Mrs Zahara.

This comes days after Dr Swazuri decreed that the firm the county government is supporting to undertake the wind project, Cordisons International Limited, was not recognised by the commission.

Instead, Mr Swazuri said the NLC only recognised Kenwinds Holdings as the one justified by law to set up the wind harnessing plant which is expected to generate about 90MW of electricity once complete.