The government has assured residents affected by the construction of the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone(SEZ) project of compensation.
Speaking in Mombasa during a baraza with the locals in Likoni, Investments, Trade, and Industry Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria asked the residents to cool down and to ensure calmness ahead of President William Ruto’s visit to the area on Friday.
This is after a section of residents complained of being secluded in the compensation plan which has raised tension between residents and local administration.
The residents also want the Sh65,000 per acre disturbance allowance raised.
CS Kuria after hearing the affected persons’ grievances, instructed the special economic zone authority to ensure every elder together with their children is listed for compensation.
The SEZ authority representative present clarified to the residents that compensation was for disturbance and not land.
Kuria reiterated that the President Ruto-led Kenya Kwanza administration was not going to let any ‘hustler’ suffer at the hand of the government.
He that they were working with local leaders to ensure that everything is set for the project to kick off smoothly.
“We will not discriminate against anyone whose child was not registered. I want to assure you that the government will not let anyone out, we shall ensure that you all get paid,” Kuria said.
The CS added that the government was fast-tracking the rolling out of key initiatives and supportive infrastructure to make it ready for investors.
Tanzania business mogul Rostam Aziz of Taifa Gas was also present in the meeting.
Kuria said that the Dongo Kundu project had put Kenya on the world map adding that the government was doing its’ all to attract international investors to the project.
“This is a very important project for the government, it is close to the president’s heart and he never misses to talk about it whenever he delivers a speech”
“This project will bring international investors here and it will solve the unemployment issue in Mombasa and Kwale counties,” he said.
The project which sits on 3,000 acres of land is expected to create 100,000 jobs once completed.
The government is currently doing some undertakings including the implementation of the resettlement action plan for project affected persons, demarcation and titling of land for lease to investors.
The government through the Kenya Ports Authority has set aside Sh1.4 billion for the compensation exercise of the Project-Affected Persons (PAPs).