Residents of Lamu West whose land was acquired for setting up of the Sh21 billion wind project are disappointment over delayed compensation.
They said their 3,206 acres was taken in Baharini village, Mpeketoni, in 2011. The 600 landowners expected their money in a few months. However, eight years later they have not been given the cash. The landowners are wondering if the project will take off.
The landowners who spoke to the Star in Lamu yesterday are also unsettled by the investor's silence. They are demanding an update on the progress of the project.
Their spokesperson, Joseph Mwangi, said they want to know if the project will go ahead and if their land will be used.
"If our land will not be used or if we will not be paid, we should be told so that we can take our land back. We can do something useful with it. It has been lying idle foe eight years. We can do farming or put up other developments that can generate an income," Mwangi said.
The landowners said a resettlement action plan was done years back. They were expecting Sh1.5 million for an acre.
The Court of Appeal in Mombasa on March 7 gave a go-ahead for the power project after dismissing an appeal by a US-based company Cordison International. The court ruled that the appeal lacked merit.
Landowner Samuel Maina said it is selfish and frustrating for the investor to keep their land.
“Let them tell us why we should continue waiting. The government, too, should not remain silent," Maina said.
