Gov't defends Lamu refinery land acquisition, warns against politicising Ebola

Speaking during a press briefing at Harambee Annex on Monday, October 12, 2026, Owino said the government was aware of protests that followed the project's groundbreaking ceremony, with some individuals claiming they had not been compensated for their land.

According to Owino, approximately 28,199 hectares of land had been allocated to the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) for the development, which is expected to include major port infrastructure

He said the project is designed to accommodate approximately 32 berths for docking ships, with KPA having already developed three while Dangote is expected to construct five additional berths.

Owino explained that about 90 families initially occupied the land before the government initiated a compensation and relocation exercise.

He said KPA subsequently transferred Ksh.1.4 billion to the National Land Commission (NLC) to facilitate compensation for the affected families.

The government spokesperson maintained that the families were compensated and relocated, although the land title remained under the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor project.

Source: Citizen Digital