Markets & Finance

Swazuri team plans Lapsset land payouts

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National Land Commission chairman Mohamed Swazuri. PHOTO | FILE

The State is expected to shell out billions to landowners in the largest-ever public land acquisition along the Sh2 trillion Lamu Port South Sudan and Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) corridor.

Speculators have over the past few years been scrambling for a piece of action along the route.

In a gazette notice dated Friday October 21, National Land Commission (NLC) chairman Muhammad Swazuri said the planned acquisition would affect eight counties.

“In pursuance of land Act No. 6 of 2012, Part VIII and the transition provisions contained in section 162 (2) of the same Act, the National Land Commission on behalf of Lapsset Corridor Development Authority gives notice that the government intends to acquire the following piece of land depicted by and falling within the following co-ordinates traversing from Lamu County, Garissa County, Laikipia County, Meru County, Isiolo County, Baringo County, Turkana County, Marsabit County. The corridor will be used to develop infrastructure and associated ancillary facilities,” said Dr Swazuri in the gazette notice.

Under the plan the State intends to acquire 450 hectares for the Lamu resort, 81,811 hectares for the planned Lamu special economic zone, 10,744 hectares for the Lamu industrial zone, a further 28,500 hectares for the Lamu port and 5,012 hectares for the Isiolo resort city.

At the same time the commission is targeting 1,477 hectares for the Isiolo International Airport as well as additional land for the Lamu port, Lamu-Garissa, Garissa-Isiolo, Isiolo-Nakodok and the Isiolo- Moyale sections.

The acquisition is expected to shine fresh light on the land acquisition process for public projects.

Speculation and complex land acquisition procedures have left the government battling the effects of missed construction deadlines and potential losses to the taxpayer through cost inflation on flagship energy and infrastructure projects across the country.

After long delays the government has signalled it is keen to complete the crucial Lappset infrastructure project though.

The State has in the past three years been working on its side of the corridor commonly referred to as Lapsset and in April approved an additional Sh1 billion for the project in a supplementary budget.

READ: SA-led consortium plans to invest Sh193bn in Lapsset

Kenya has been keen to complete construction of Lapsset headquarters and the first Lamu port berths before opening up the project to private investors.

The Lapsset project recently received a huge boost after Kenya and South Africa signed an agreement — to be spearheaded by financial institutions — as part of an effort to expand the economic and security ties between the two countries.

Earlier in May, Kenya had received a major shot in the arm in its efforts to connect landlocked markets on its northern borders after rich countries announced an African hub initiative to mobilise $20 billion for cross-border infrastructure projects.

The Lamu transport corridor was one of the 16 projects picked to benefit from the mix of philanthropic and development financing under the initiative.

The Sustainable Development Investment Partnership announced the creation of a regional hub dedicated to African projects in Kigali, Rwanda, where the World Economic Forum Africa opened last Wednesday.