Kilifi MCAs have passed a motion to stop the one million acre Galana-Kulalu project for lack of consultations by the government.
During a session on Wednesday, at least 26 MCAs supported the motion tabled by Deputy Speaker and Adu ward representative Stanley Kenga.
Speaker Jimmy Kahindi approved the proposal which seeks to block the government from continuing with farm activities in the Sh7 billion project.
The acreage is in
Kilifi and Tana River Counties. Since 2014, only 5,000 of the 10,000 acres in the test farm have been utitlised.
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Kenga wants Executives to take steps that will block activities by the government until public participation is carried out. He also wants viability tests carried out and the ownership
matter cleared by the Kilifi Assembly.
The Executives the MCA wants to intervene are those in the Agriculture, Lands, Energy and Housing departments.
“We are aware that the Galana Kulalu food security project is significant but [the land in question is] community land," he notes.
Kenga further notes that the Assembly neither considered nor approved the project as it was not consulted. This, he says, was in violation of the spirit and principle of mutual cooperation and consultation between the two levels of government.
The MCA adds that project activities so far have caused River Sabaki-Galana to dry up making life unbearable for thousands of residents who depended on it for domestic use, agriculture and fishing.
Those affected are residents of Garashi, Mgumoni, Chakama and Baricho, areas which are all in Adu Ward.
Kenga also noted that lots of resources have been used so far yet the people have not benefited.
Gongoni representative Albert Kiraga
said the government has spend more than Sh30 billion since 2013, an amount much higher than what the county has been allocated yet the project is taking place there.
Kiraga also noted that Kilifi and Tana River are among counties affected by drought.
“If the project was to address the food security of Kilifi and Kenya, there should be something to make us proud five years down the line.
"The operation and execution of the project is a violation of the supreme law. Those who engineered the project violated the County Government Act," he added.
Nixon Muramba, who is Kakuyuni MCA, said the project was "forced down the people's throats" without proper engagement.
During the launch of the project, he said, Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi and the-then Governor of Tanariver were not recognised.
“I remember when [President Uhuru Kenyatta] was campaigning in 2013, he promised Kenyans that the project would see prices of flour reduce to Sh60. They have failed and are looking for investors from outside," he said.
Muramba further said the project could be a fresh scheme to take over the land which belongs to communities in the two counties.
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Marafa MCA Renson Kambi, who seconded the motion, said this is not the first time the government has taken over a huge piece of community land, only to "sell it to private developers".
He said Vipingo Ridge used to be community land but the government initiated a project that saw these developers take control.
Nuzla Abshaib (Nominated), Christopher Mwambire (Bamba) and
Abdulrahman Omar (Ganda) were among those who backed the motion.
Mwambire wondered why Kilifi residents are still affected by drought yet the project is taking up a lot of water and money.
Ganze and Magarini are among areas hardest hit by the drought.