Italian billionaire Flavio Briatore is extending the controversial sea wall at the only remaining public park in Malindi. Boat operators, environmentalists and other players efforts to stop him fell on deaf ears. He says the wall will safeguard his property despite protests by residents.
Briatore said he had obtained permit from the Kenya Wildlife Service and the National Environmental Management Authority.
The first sea wall was built in 2015 at a cost of Sh50 million, but instead of securing the property it put Briatore's Sh1billion investment at risk. Apparently, the project led to massive soil degradation at the billionaire's resort and ruined his coconut trees.
A meeting set for Tuesday at the Malindi deputy county commissioner’s office, which was to bring together all players, including residents, was called off indefinitely.
Instead, the county deputy commissioner Karung’o Kamau deployed heavily armed policemen to protect the contractor at the site. Malindi Marine Park Boat Operators, who were protesting against the move, tried to stop workers but were repelled by security personnel.
Malindi Marine Park Boat Operators vice chairman Twalib Abeid Ali led the protests against the tycoon. He blamed the KWS and NEMA for allowing the construction. Speaking at the marine park, he said the sea wall will destroy wildlife and marine life. He said the authorities should have drawn lessons after the first sea wall destroyed the environment.
Abeid said many casuarina trees, which have been at the resort for ages, fell down as a result of the negative impact the wall had on the vegetation. He said a similar project will be disastrous.
“The problems started in 2011. Flavio Briatore held a meeting at a hotel and we never agreed there would be a sea wall. Already the effects of the first phase of the sea wall has swept away trees, led to soil erosion, and destroyed turtle breeding areas," he said.
Abeid said their boat parking area was destroyed, and he fears if the wall is put up the marine park will be no more. He said the sea wall threatens safety of boat operators.
“We are not opposed to the project of the billionaire or the investor, we are against the sea wall," Abeid said.
He showed journalists a turtle nest which has remained unoccupied for ages. Abeid attributed that to the destruction of breeding ground, thanks to the negative impact of the sea wall.
Philip Chai, a manager of Lion In The Sun, one of the billionaire’s investments, said the project will proceed despite the protests. He said the sea wall will safeguard the property from sea erosion. Chai barred journalists from taking pictures at the construction site, and threatened them with arrest. Deputy commissioner supported Chai saying the wall had also been approved by the county government.
Malindi Marine Park senior warden Jane Gita, however, declined to comment on the matter saying it was being handled by her seniors at KWS headquarters in Nairobi.
In January last year, Briatore told journalists he would do anything to safeguard his property.