Residents reject NLC offer for dam land

Residents of Kasemeni ward in Kinango sub-County, Kwale County, have protested against compensation rates for land earmarked for multi-billion shilling Mwache dam.

The residents from 24 villages, who were accompanied by Kwale Woman Representative Zulekha Hassan, rejected the Sh350,000 per acre offer and are instead demanding Sh5 million for a similar portion.

The locals argued that land prices in the area were high and National Lands Commission (NLC) should review its offer before they pave way for the dam set to provide water to Kwale and Mombasa counties.

They called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene in the current compensation standoff.

Hassan denied claims that the residents were against the project, saying they are only opposed to the current offer which is far below the market value.

The government plans to start construction of the Sh30-billion dam by April, next year.

John Ndaro, a local resident, lashed out at the government for allegedly short-changing them.

He said the project is in line with the government’s Agenda Four programme and urged President Kenyatta to take the matter seriously and intervene.

Market value

"We are ready to have a roundtable talk with the government to negotiate on the package as we will not accept what they want to pay us, which is below the market value of the land,” he said.

Another resident, Uchi  Mwero, claimed there is a lot of victimisation and coercion from government agencies.

“The local leaders have let us down as they should have been the first people to conduct civic education on the project before its commencement,” she said.

Mwambire Haranga dismissed claims that the 6,000 homesteads are against the project, pointing out that they are only opposed to the terms of the compensation package.

The residents claimed there was no willing seller-willing buyer agreement and that they have petitioned the government, through a Memorandum of Understanding, but the State has declined to respond.

The county MP said the residents have exhausted all avenues for redress without any success.

She lashed out at local leaders for abandoning them in their hour of need.

She said she had petitioned the government on the low compensation rates in the National Assembly but there has been no clear response