Why Lamu farmers want land for suspended energy projects returned

The fate of the over 4,000 acres of land set aside for two power-generating projects in Lamu is still unknown after the plans were halted several years ago.

Over 2,000 owners of the plots are in the dark as the acquisition had not been revoked and the title deeds transferred back to them.

One controversial project is a Sh200 billion coal-fired power plant.

The proposed Lamu Coal Project was under Amu Power, a consortium of Gulf Energy and Centum Investment.

The plant was planned to be established in Kwasasi village, Hindi, Lamu West.

At least 975 acres of land were acquired since 2016 and the plant was projected to generate 1,050 megawatts of power.

In June 2019, the National Environment Tribunal (NET) quashed a licence given to the plant, citing failure by the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) to conduct a proper environmental impact assessment (EIA.)

Nema was also faulted for granting the project an EIA licence that appeared to be generic and not specific to the project.

The tribunal also noted that the builders of the coal plant omitted engineering plans and key facts of the project from public participation and failed to consider the Climate Change Act. It directed Amu Power and Nema to start a new EIA licensing process and ensure they complied with the law.

Owners of the land parcels urged county officials to coordinate with the national government through the National Land Commission (NLC) and speed up revocations of the title deed issued to the project investors and return the lands to locals for other development.

Kwasasi Farmers Association chairperson Hussein Fadhil claimed officials had been silent since the project was cancelled four years ago.

No one had come out to explain what would happen to their lands, he said.

The coal plant project affected over 600 farmers.

Mr Fadhil said that though the farmers were not compensated, the NLC proceeded to issue a title deed to the project investors, meaning they no longer own the land.

Kwasasi farmers, he said, feel that they were dispossessed of their land by the NLC and project investors.

He urged the government to resolve the title deed matter and return the land to the farmers.

“We’ve waited for the promised compensation for over six years. As Kwasasi farmers, we can’t proceed with our developments on the land because it’s in their hands. Though the project was cancelled, we can't access or develop those plots,” said Mr Fadhil.

Mohamed Garane said before NET cancelled the coal plant licence, the farmers had accepted the project.

The government, the NLC and the investor, he said, should meet the Kwasasi farmers and clear the air on whether the project is still viable or not.

“If the project hits a dead end, it’s good that the land ownership is transferred to the innocent farmers. Why transfer land ownership to the investor without compensating the owners? We need the land given back to us,” Mr Garane said.

Fatma Hamisi, another landowner in Kwasasi, said the cancellation of the project four years ago generally made their lives even tougher.

“Someone should come out to explain to us whether the project will ever take off instead of the continued silence. Even if we take our lands back, we will still be on the losing end because many years have passed without any developments made on those lands,” said Ms Hamisi.

In 2016, the NLC, then under Muhammad Swazuri, reviewed the Kwasasi lands and approved compensation for owners at Sh800,000 per acre.

More than 1,000 owners of land earmarked for the Sh21 billion Lamu Wind Power plant in Baharini, Mpeketoni, Lamu West, are in the same limbo.

The project was to be under the Baharini Wind Power Project, a consortium of Elicio Company of Belgium and Kenyan firm Kenwind Holdings Limited.

About 3,400 acres of land was earmarked for the project.

It was expected to generate 90 megawatts of power, only to be nullified by the Lamu County Assembly in July 2020, citing failure by the investor to comply with requirements and resulting in confusion, chaos and displacements.

The affected farmers have not been updated about the fate of their land, most of which is lying idle.

Samuel Kimani, one of the farmers, called on the government and investors to explain whether the farmers could proceed to develop their lands.

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