Nairobi, October 5- Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome has warned against what she described as illegal attempts to occupy or lay claim to land set aside for the Sh2 trillion Dangote East Africa Refinery in Lamu.
Wahome said the bulk of the land earmarked for the project is public property, while acknowledging that some families have lived on sections of the land for decades and may have legitimate claims that need to be addressed.
She said the government has records that can help establish genuine occupants and landowners, adding that legitimate cases would be handled through the appropriate government agencies.
The CS maintained that the presence of people on a parcel does not automatically make it privately owned, amid ongoing legal challenges by Lamu residents who claim parts of the refinery site are ancestral land.
Wahome also accused some individuals of being used to create obstacles to the project, while insisting that the government would not ignore genuine grievances.
She said residents with legitimate claims can seek assistance from the Office of the President, the National Land Commission or the Ministry of Lands.
The remarks come as the government moves ahead with the refinery project despite court proceedings filed by residents seeking recognition of their interests in the disputed land.
The refinery, being developed by Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote, is expected to process up to 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day and form a major part of Kenya’s plans to expand its petroleum-processing capacity.
