The National Land Commission (NLC) has directed landowners
in Garissa county to submit written claims for compensation ahead of a December
public hearing over the compulsory acquisition of land for the multi-billion shilling
Lamu Port–South Sudan–Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) Corridor Project.
In a Gazette Notice, NLC chair Gershom Otachi said the
hearing will take place on December 3, as the commission moves to acquire
nearly 1,000 hectares of community land for the infrastructure project
considered a key pillar of Kenya’s Vision 2030.
Affected landowners are required to present copies of their identification cards, Personal Identification Numbers (PIN), proof of land ownership and bank account details.
Companies must submit certificates of incorporation,
CR12 forms, KRA PINs and identification documents for their directors.
Submissions are to be delivered to the NLC offices at Ardhi House, 3rd Floor,
Room 305, 1st Ngong Avenue, Nairobi.
The commission said only those who submit complete
documentation will have their claims considered during the hearing, which will
be conducted under Sections 112 and 162(2) of the Land Act.
The acquisition affects parcel Garissa/Kamuthe/2, registered
to the Kamuthe Community, covering approximately 960.67 hectares. The hearing
will give residents and stakeholders a final opportunity to present their
claims and objections before the land is formally transferred for the Lapsset project.
The Lapsset Corridor — launched in 2012 by then-President
Mwai Kibaki alongside former Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and South
Sudan President Salva Kiir — is envisioned as Kenya’s second major transport
corridor. It aims to open up the historically marginalised northern region and
reduce dependence on the Port of Mombasa by creating a new logistics hub
anchored at Lamu.
The ambitious project includes the 410-kilometre
Lamu–Garissa–Isiolo road and the 750-kilometre Mandera–Wajir–Garissa–Isiolo
Highway, traversing constituencies such as Ijara, Fafi, Garissa Township,
Balambala, Lagdera and Isiolo South. It is part of a wider land bridge that
will connect the East African Coast from Lamu to the West African Coast at
Douala Port, serving a combined population of about 160 million across Kenya,
Ethiopia and South Sudan.
During a recent inspection, Deputy president Kithure Kindiki
urged the contractor to adhere to milestone targets, warning that delays in
land acquisition, financing, or community consultations could slow down
progress.
As the NLC prepares for the December hearing, attention now
turns to how swiftly affected landowners will respond and whether compensation
disputes could further test the pace of one of Kenya’s most ambitious regional
projects.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
The NLC’s move marks a critical step in unlocking stalled sections of the Lapsset Corridor, Kenya’s largest regional infrastructure venture. By setting a firm deadline for land claims, the commission signals renewed urgency to push past long-standing land and compensation hurdles that have slowed progress in Garissa and beyond. The December hearing will test how effectively the government balances community rights with national development goals. With Kindiki pressing for timelines, the outcome could determine whether Lapsset finally gains momentum or faces yet another round of bureaucratic and community resistance that has haunted the project for over a decade.
