Over 10,000 herders fear losing grazing land to Lapsset project

MOMBASA: More than 10,000 pastoralists have expressed concern that their grazing land could be secretly allocated.

This follows an influx of farmers and investors into the county ahead of the Sh2 trillion Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) corridor.

Led by land activist Hassan Dokota Dae, the herders said they were worried that major projects lined up in the county were likely to dispossess them of grazing land and settlements without compensation, unless the National Land Commission (NLC) intervened.

Mr Dae noted although grazing corridors were marked out in the 1970s and listed under plot numbers, block titles were yet to be issued.

He said farmers were flocking the county and taking up more land while investors were also lining up big projects.

He noted that apart from grazing land, there were plans to issue block titles to small parcels, particularly in Dide Waride location.

The pastoralists raised concern following a motion by the Lamu County assembly on July 8 this year in which members approved the proposed Witu limestone concession, which they noted had passed without public participation.

The assembly also endorsed the proposed multi-million-shilling Amu coal power plant.

NOT INVOLVED

"We have not been involved in consultation on the Lapsset project and yet an international airport is earmarked for Koreni, a pastoralist area," Dae noted.

He said herders did not know the fate of the Baragoni livestock holding ground and Pangani swamp where they watered their livestock. Dae called for the National Land Commission and the Lands ministry to intervene.

NLC Chairman Muhammad Swazuri said the commission was prepared to intervene but required specific information on grazing corridors or any encroached land.

"We are not going to rely on generalised information. We want specific information, which will enable us address the problem facing pastoralists in Lamu," said Mr Swazuri. He confirmed that no title deeds had been issued for the grazing land.

Assembly Speaker Mohamed Hashim said the motion on both the Witu limestone and coal power plant was passed with conditions to safeguard residents' interests.

"Land allocation will be initiated by NLC, then the report will be brought to the assembly for conversion. All subsequent land compensation will have to be approved," he said.

He said they had demanded an environmental and social impact assessment to be endorsed by the assembly after getting the National Environment Management Authority's approval.