Lamu residents protest against restricted movement, road closures

Shungwaya Welfare Association Lamu chair Mohamed Mbwana at the Muhuri Legal Aid clinic in Mombasa on Thursday / BRIAN OTIENO

Vocal Africa’s Walid Sketty, She Rises’ Salma Hemed and Muhuri’s Khelef Khalifa at the Muhuri Legal Aid clinic in Mombasa on Thursday / BRIAN OTIENO

Muhuri’s Francis Auma consults director Khelef Khalifa at the Muhuri Legal Aid clinic in Mombasa on Thursday / BRIAN OTIENO

Lamu residents and human rights activists in Mombasa on Thursday protested against prolonged road blocks and restricted movement in Lamu county.

 For over a decade, the Lamu highway has been subjected to closure between 6pm and 7am.

 The curfew-style restriction, the stakeholders said, causes immense suffering, hampering business operations, especially for fishermen and small-scale traders who rely on early morning or late night transport to sustain their livelihoods.

 “The situation has created an environment of harassment and intimidation from security personnel manning the roadblocks,” Khelef Khalifa, a human rights activist, said.

 Khalifa said the actions contravene Article 39 of the constitution, which guarantees every person the right to freedom of movement.

 Khalifa noted that Article 27, which guarantees equality and freedom from discrimination, and Article 47, which provides for fair administrative action, are also violated.

 “We therefore protest, in the strongest terms possible, this unjust and prolonged measure, which amounts to collective punishment of law-abiding citizens, rather than a targeted security intervention,” the Muslims for Human Rights director said.

 Khalifa called on the Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen to lift the restrictions and restore free, unhindered movement along the Lamu highway without harassment and intimidation from the security personnel.

 He noted they are ready for any engagement on lawful and effective security measures that protect both lives and livelihoods.

 Salma Hemed, the founder of She Rises, an NGO, said the government has forgotten that most Lamu residents depend on fishing and small-scale businesses to live.

 “The restrictions have made Lamu county lag behind in terms of its economy because movement has been curtailed and business is not effective,” Hemed said.

 She said the security agencies must look for ways to protect lives and property without hindering movement and livelihoods.

 Hemed said there is need for dialogue between Lamu residents and security personnel to come up with alternative ways of ensuring safety without compromising on guaranteed rights.

 Omar Sharif alias Sultan, a Lamu resident, said the Bajuni people, who are natives in Lamu, have not tasted the fruits of independence because of the restrictions.

 Mohamed Mbwana, the chairman of Shungwaya Welfare Association in Lamu county, said the restriction of movement started in 1963.

 “This matter started during the Shifter war, which made 22 communities in Lamu East and another 20 communities in Lamu West collapse.

 “They collapsed because of security personnel who came to harass people,” Mbwana said.

 In 1971, the Lamu settlement scheme was created until President Daniel Moi took over leadership of the country, which was when all the restrictions were removed, allowing for Lamu to thrive.

 However, the Mpeketoni attack by al Shabaab militants in 2014, changed all that.

 Restrictions were imposed as the militants infiltrated the locals, living among them and gathering information which led to subsequent sporadic attacks.

 “Today, vehicles carrying fish no longer go to Kiunga. Today, a kilo of fish goes for Sh900 because of lack of transportation. It is too expensive,” Mbwana said.

 He said Lamu is the first county in Kenya to have oil discovered in 1958.

 However, oil exploration was stopped in 1962 for unknown reasons, only to be allowed years later where wells in Bodo and Mwathi were sunk.

 “We feel this is no longer about security. If it is al Shabaab, who funds them? The government has all the resources to gather intelligence. Why don’t they use that intelligence to smoke out the militants if that is the reason?” Mbwana questioned.

 He said the harassment by security personnel has pushed Lamu youth into vices like drug abuse, thuggery and idleness because they are not free to carry out economic activities.

 Walid Sketty, a Vocal Africa officer, said from Minjila to Mokoe in Lamu county, there is a curfew.

 However, the same is not imposed in neighbouring counties yet the same Boni forest extends to those counties.

 “We therefore feel this is not about the safety of Lamu county. There are other counties that have bandits, who from time to time attack people.

 “But the curfews imposed there are only for two or three days before they are lifted. Why is there a curfew that lasts decades in Lamu? Isn’t this economic sabotage?” Sketty asked.

 He said in a month’s time, if the roadblocks are not removed, they will mobilise youth to remove them.

 Haki Africa’s Mathias Shipeta said the role of the government is to provide security.

 “But Lamu is the only county where people’s movement is restricted. There have been bombings in Kikambala, Garissa, Dussit, but no movement restrictions have been imposed in those areas,” he said.

 A fisherman in Kiunga cannot take his fish to Mombasa easily because of all the imposed restrictions, Shipeta noted.

 INSTANT ANALYSIS

 According to Muhuri, 50 per cent of indigenous Lamu people are living outside Lamu because they are escaping the suffering they undergo in Lamu. At the same time, other people are settling in Lamu in numbers and will soon outnumber the locals, Muhuri says.