More groups oppose site meant for Isiolo resort city

A wildlife lobby has joined a section of locals and organisations in rejecting the proposed site for Isiolo resort city in what is likely to delay roll out of the flagship project.

Friends of Isiolo Game Reserves (FIGARE), a local community-based organisation, wants the site for the project moved from Kipsing Gap in Isiolo North Constituency to Kulamawe in Isiolo South.

The lobby, which insists that the current location could restrict movement of wild animals, also wants Governor Mohamed Kuti to convene a meeting with all stakeholders to voice out their concerns to the national government.

Led by its chairman Hussien Abduba, the group argued that setting up the city at Kipsing Gap — which is near two main game reserves; Buffao Springs and Shaba national reserves — is a threat to wildlife and their migratory corridor.

Mr Abduba claimed that a section of Isiolo leaders presented an MoU to President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2016 requesting relocation of the project to Kulamawe but the Lapsset Corridor Development Authority (LCDA) was yet to communicate to them.

Some civil society groups and a section of locals and their leaders have also proposed relocation of the site.

Addressing the Press in Isiolo town Mr Abduba, accompanied by three officials, said building the resort city at Kipsing Gap will lead to a decline in revenue from tourism — a major source of income for the county government.

Officials of the lobby also said some of the multi-billion mega projects established in Isiolo were yet to benefit host communities.

“Local communities are yet to see the impact of some mega projects in terms of alleviating poverty, which stands at 70 per cent, or improving living standards,” said Mr Abduba.

He said that other counties including Lamu and Tana River had reaped benefits of new government projects including jobs, scholarships for students and compensation for land but Isiolo was yet to benefit despite being host of several proposed Lapsset projects.

He urged the Lapsset authority to convene a meeting to sensitise the community on the projects, their impact, compensation methods and relocate the proposed resort city.