Lamu community sets conditions for Sh2 trillion Dangote oil refinery project

Dangote Group President and CEO Aliko Dangote and President William Ruto during a tour of Dangote Refinery in Lekki, Lagos State, Nigeria. [PCS]

Lamu's Bajuni community leader Shariff Omar has said that they will reject the Sh2 trillion Dangote Oil Refinery if they are not fully involved, and guaranteed benefits agreed for the host community.

Omar who is the Sultan of the community said although the Bajuni do not oppose development, they will not accept to be treated as strangers on their ancestral land.

President William Ruto is expected to preside over the ground breaking ceremony for the Sh2 trillion project that will create upto 60,000 jobs.

The community gave the condition less than a week to the planned launch of the mega project.

Omar declared that the project will have no social license to proceed in Lamu without the involvement and consent of the indigenous host community.

The spokesman said the Bajuni welcome development but reject exclusion from a project of such magnitude planned on their land.

"I, Sultan Omar Shariff, Sultan of the Bajun, wish to state our official position regarding the proposed Dangote refinery project. First, let me be very clear. The Bajun Community of Lamu County does not reject development. We do not reject the Dangote project. We welcome investment that brings jobs to our youth and prosperity to Kenya. For too long, Lamu has been marginalised. We want development. However, we reject being treated as strangers in our own ancestral land," said Omar.

He said the community has not been involved yet the project has been approved to be built on the Bajuni fishing grounds, on the land of their forefathers and is now set to be launched without a single baraza with the community and the council of elders, fishermen, farmers and traders.

Omar cited Article 10 of the Constitution on national values including public participation, Article 69 on environmental duties, Article 56 on the rights of minorities and marginalised communities, and Article 40 on protection against deprivation of property.

"Article 10, Article 69 and Article 56 says development must be inclusive, participatory and must protect marginalized communities. Article 40 says no one shall be deprived of property. Where was our participation?" Posed Omar.

The Bajun leadership seems to be seeking to halt any ceremonial ground breaking on September 30, 2026, by President William Ruto, until community concerns are addressed.

The proposed refinery initiated by Nigerian businessman, Aliko Dangote, is touted as one of Africa's largest industrial investments.

But for the Bajuni, whose lives revolve around the sea, mangroves and farms within the Lamu archipelago, the project matters more than the promise as they fear it would come with no direct benefits while interfering with their traditional fishing ground.

"Our people are fishermen and farmers, not agitators. We are peace-loving people. But peace does not mean silence. If this project proceeds without our involvement, without an MoU, it will have no social license from the people of Lamu. It will fail," Omar warned.

He maintained that the National Government, County Government of Lamu and Dangote Group must officially recognise the Bajun as the host community and engage the office of the Sultan and Bajun Council of Elders as a primary stakeholder in all matters relating to the project.

The community also seeks a full disclosure on the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) report and land allocation documents for the project.

"We demand that the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the proponent present all documents to the people of Lamu in public barazas, translated into Kiswahili and Kibajuni, as required by law. This must happen before the 30th September launch, not after, “said Omar.

He demanded a legally binding MoU or Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) before the groundbreaking ceremony set to be held near the Lamu port at Kililana/Magogoni area on Lamu mainland.

"Our youth are not begging for jobs, they are demanding their constitutional right to benefit from resources on their land. With the launch slated for 30th September, we demand that the groundbreaking be suspended until the MoU is signed," Omar noted.

He said the MOU must be signed between the Government, Dangote Group, Lamu County Government and the Bajun community represented by the sultanate guaranteeing the residents' demands.

On employment, Omar pointed out that 70 percent of all jobs, skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled, must go to Lamu County youth, especially Bajun, with training starting now and not after construction of the refinery.

He said livelihoods deprived from mangrove forests, fishing and farming must be protected and if fishing grounds and farmland are affected, there must be prompt and adequate compensation.

“On social infrastructure, a share of revenue must build a modern hospital, a technical college, clean water systems and a tarmac road connecting Kiunga-Mkokoni-Lamu,” said Omar.

He reminded stakeholders that Lamu is a UNESCO world heritage site and hence the refinery must not destroy the marine ecosystem, turtles, dugongs and coral reefs.

Omar demanded that there be independent environmental monitors drawn from the community to ensure fairness in preservation of the ecosystems that sustain local communities.

He demanded public participation to give the community a voice, build trust and transparency, create jobs and ensure the protection of the environment as the investors bring development to Lamu.

"We are ready for dialogue. Our doors are open. But our rights are not negotiable. Shukrani," he said.