A Parliamentary Committee have questioned the manner of compensation of affected land owners by construction of the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone in Mombasa County, with allegations of double compensation.
The National Assembly Committee on Land, chaired by North Mugirango MP Joash Nyamoko, made the revelations following a fact-finding visit to the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone to address issues surrounding land compensation for Project Affected Persons (PAPs).
The visit follows a series of meetings between the committee, the National Land Commission (NLC), the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Planning and the Special Economic Zone Authority to discuss the compensation status for those impacted by the development project.
During their visit, committee members sought clarification on various aspects of the compensation process, including land valuation, loss of business, and details regarding the beneficiaries.
NLC revealed that the project comprises three main components: compensation for improvements, resettlement of project-affected persons within the Special Economic Zone, and livelihood restoration for those affected by the project.
The committee, however, expressed concerns about the verification process of those affected by the project, as there have been allegations of double compensation.
During the meeting, the lawmakers were informed that some PAPs have reportedly received compensation for improvements to their properties within the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone and are being given land for resettlement.
This raised questions about land ownership and how to compensate individuals whose details might not be adequately verified appropriately.
NLC chief executive officer Kabale Tache argued that the Commission had verified 1648 out of 1756 households and three public utility entities as Project Affected Persons.
Of these, 1360 had already received compensation awards. However, the verification process encountered challenges due to unclear information on ownership and reductions in the number of verified PAPs.
Equally, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is also currently investigating the valuation process for improvements made on the affected properties, as Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) provided the funds for compensation.
The Committee on Lands was accompanied by Cabinet Secretary for Land, Public Works and Housing Zachariah Njeru, the NLC CEO and other officials from the Commission.
The visit to the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone has shed light on land compensation issues.
The committee on lands plans to meet with the management of the Kenya Ports Authority in the coming weeks.
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