Solve the dispute, we want jobs, locals urge state as firms clash over site

The disputed site in Manarani, Kilifi county / BRIAN OTIENO

Residents of Mnarani in Kilifi county have pleaded with the government to resolve their differences with an investor so as to get job opportunities.

A local investor, South Sea Services Ltd, had initiated a Sh40 billion project at the Old Kilifi port in Mnarani, where they were to build at least 10 fishing trawlers and employ thousands of residents 

However, a foreign firm says it is the rightful occupier of the site where South Sea Services is and wants the local company out of it despite having documents showing they were duly licensed by Kenya Forest Service and the Kenya Maritime Authority.

The dispute led to a court case.

The local firm says it was duly licensed by both the Kenya Forest Service and the Kenya Maritime Authority while the foreign firm maintains it was licensed by the Kenya Ports Authority to operate at the site.

The foreign firm was to construct a jetty to facilitate the transportation of material for the Lamu port construction project.

However, there has been push and pull with both parties refusing to stand down, with the foreign firm trying to forcefully evict the local firm form the site and taking their own equipment and personnel to the site.

In two instances, there had been violence with locals in support of the local investor who has given jobs to some of them and promised more.

The local firm has already built one ship, whose construction started in November last year and it was completed in April this year.

It is a 28 –meter fishing trawler, with a capacity of 100 tonnes, and were to build four three other vessels.

“When this first vessel was built, there were 35 people who had been employed. When it was completed, some 30 crew members were to be employed.

“Now we are told there is another firm which wants to occupy the place. All we want is jobs. We are tired of politics being played in this matter while our people suffer lack of jobs,” Samuel Kazungu, a local.

Kazungu’s brother was a welder during the construction was the first vessel, which has been duly registered as a Kenyan vessel.

“We are seeing police taking sides. This should not be the case. Let this matter be resolved as quickly as possible even if it is out of court so that we, the locals get jobs,” Kazungu said.

He was in line for recruitment as a crew member having undertaken the STCW (Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping) course.

On Wednesday, while representatives of the local firm were in a meeting with security apparatus in Kilifi county over the matter, the foreign firm took their equipment to the site, causing tension.

The residents said this push and pull is not healthy.

“This is a matter that should be resolved as fast as possible. What matters to us is jobs. We want jobs and we have faith that our local investor will give us the most jobs as he had already demonstrated,” Laki Shokoloko said.

Shokoloko said the blue economy is vast and there is space for everyone.

He was one of the people who had been employed during the construction of the first vessel.

“These people did all that the Kenya Maritime Authority wanted and got all approvals. They even had it registered as a Kenyan vessel,”

“What was remaining was the final works as advised by the Kenya Fisheries before they get the fishing license,” Shokoloko said.

According to the Shokoloko, he had been in planning meetings where the local investor said they had planned to employ 40 people each for the construction of the other three vessels.

These vessels also had to have crews of 30 people each, 15 for the day shift and 15 for the night shift.

“The residents here were excited. They knew they would be able to get jobs and feed their families comfortably. But then this dispute erupted and threw everything into disarray,” Shokoloko said.

The dispute found its way into the Environment and Land Court in Malindi, which is to determine who holds legitimate right to occupy the Kilifi site.