Kenya: Lamu island locals say LAPSSET port & transport mega-project negatively impacting livelihoods & cultural life
"LAPSSET project distorts Lamu Island heritage, court told"
Some Lamu residents on Tuesday told a five-judge bench that the ongoing construction of multi-billion Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) corridor has violated their rights to cultural life. Mohamed Somo, Lamu Beach Management Unit chairman, said the LAPSSET project has distorted the heritage of Lamu Island, which is a United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) world heritage site. He urged...[the court] to suspend the project until the government observes environmental remedies on protecting and conserving marine life.
Mr Somo said that the ongoing dredging at the Indian Ocean in Lamu for the construction of Lamu port has destroyed mangrove forests, sea grass, and coral reefs which are fish and turtle nesting areas.“This has led to dwindling amount of fish has affected the cultural and socio-economic life of residents who solely depend on fishing for their livelihood,” he said...
Mr Somo said they were not involved in the project which begun in the year 2012 and fishermen have never been compensated to date despite it destroying their fishing areas. “NEMA went on to grant licence to implement the project disregarding the environment and social impact assessment study report for construction of the first three berths of Lamu port and,” he added.