Leaders in calls to re-route Lapsset

County leaders want the routing of the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) transport corridor changed as a matter of urgency.

They called on Lapsset officials to consider changing the project’s map, arguing it would save the exchequer billions of shillings, deter land speculators, preserve the existing wildlife corridor and reduce border tension with the neighbouring Meru County.

Lapsset Development Authority Board members led by chairman Francis Muthaura were in Isiolo this week to meet with top elected leaders and other stakeholders.

The team met Governor Godana Doyo, Speaker Mohammed Tubi, MCAs and county executives led by Tourism Executive Suleiman Shunu.

Under Lapsset, Isiolo will be a transit point hosting two railway lines - Nairobi-Isiolo-Moyale-Addis Ababa and Lamu-Isiolo-Lodwar-Juba - and two oil pipelines; one for crude oil to Lamu Port and another for refined oil from the coastal town to South Sudan and two highways.

Others developments are a resort city, international airport and an abattoir.

All these projects will be located in Isiolo town, an area with less than 10 square kilometres out of the county’s total 25,605 square kilometres.

Several problems

The leaders want some of the projects to be relocated into the interior, arguing that several problems had already emerged even before implementation.

In a March conference with leaders from the pastoral region, President Uhuru Kenyatta said the national government would not reveal the route of the Lapsset project to deter land speculators.

“You want us to reveal the route so that you take all the land and later seek compensation from the Government,” Uhuru said.

Mr Doyo and Mr Tubi told the Muthaura-led team that land speculators, mostly from outside Isiolo, had grabbed land earmarked for the project. He said the national government stood to pay out billions of shillings in compensation if the route was not changed.

“From 2005, when this thing began, unscrupulous people have been allocated land to benefit from the Lapsset windfall. Are you ready to pay them?” Hassan Shano, a nominated MCA, asked.

Doyo said land problems in Central Isiolo had been occasioned by the Lapsset project, adding that it would be ideal to relocate some of the projects deep into the interior where there are no permanent settlements.

The leaders proposed that the road and railway track should be redirected from Kulamawe so it could be connected to the Isiolo-Moyale route instead of coming all the way to Isiolo.

They also suggested that the proposed resort city should be taken from Kipsing Gap. Mr Tubi, a wildlife expert, said it would disrupt the wildlife migratory routes.