Over 4,400 fishermen affected by the construction of the multi-billion Lamu Port are finally set to receive Ksh1.1 billion compensation as directed by the court following a rigorous verification process.
According to Kenya Ports Authority, the process, which has been ongoing for some time, has finally culminated in a successful outcome for the majority of the fishermen and boat owners where each will get Ksh 241,714.32 from the 65 per cent of the total Lamu Compensation amount allocated for cash compensation.
The compensation process commenced a few years ago with the validation and verification process, including confirmation of ID and bank account details, after which a total of 4,167 out of the 4,734 fisherfolks were slated to sign compensation agreements.
The balance of 567 was categorized as a disputed list. However, the compensation process was abruptly halted following the intervention of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), which had received complaints that some of the fishermen/boat owners were allegedly not eligible for payment and that there were other genuine cases left out among the 567.
“The investigative body came up with a list of 429 fishermen and boat owners who had been left out and who it deemed to be genuine. EACC filed an application in court seeking to table evidence on the said numbers” KPA explained.
The Court of Appeal thus directed that the parties involved conduct a verification exercise of the ineligible and genuine fishermen and boat owners.
Following the court’s direction, a task force comprising various entities was convened to undertake the verification process, which was undertaken from 24th March to May 5, 2024.
“The verification exercise was largely successful. From the undisputed list of 4,167 fishermen, a total of 3,991 have now signed the necessary agreements and are confirmed to be eligible for cash compensation” said KPA in a statement.
Additionally, from the disputed list of 567 fishermen, 164 individuals have been verified and deemed qualified for cash compensation. That makes it a total of 4,155 fisherfolks.
The Taskforce has since confirmed that there’s another 288 fishermen who have been verified and are expected to sign the agreements soon.
“This therefore means that the total number of eligible fishermen to be compensated is expected to be 4,443. The successful conclusion of the verification process marks a significant milestone in ensuring that justice is served for the fishermen who have long awaited their compensation” stated KPA.
The efforts of all parties involved, including the Kenya Ports Authority, the office of Attorney General, County Government of Lamu, Beach Management Units, Save Lamu, and the EACC have been instrumental in facilitating a transparent and fair process that upholds the rights of the fishermen.
“As the compensation process moves forward, it is hoped that this positive outcome will bring a sense of relief and closure to the fishermen and their families, allowing them to move forward with renewed hope” added KPA.
Meanwhile, the taskforce plans to commence the implementation of the second phase of compensation (35 per cent; Ksh 0.6 billion) which is expected to empower the fisherfolks for sustainable development programs.
