In a surprise turn of events, Kenya’s High Court on Friday ordered a stop to any further development of the Lamu mega port north of Mombasa.
The court order places a halt to the project to allow local landowners to launch a lawsuit over compensation of their land.
The idea of developing a deep-water port in the vicinity of the town and small port of Lamu has been around for more than 40 years but was more recently resurrected in a wider project of providing logistical links with Kenya’s neighbouring countries.
Known as LAPSSET (Lamu Port South Sudan, Ethiopia Transport), the plans call for the mega port to be developed while simultaneously providing road, rail and oil pipeline connections with South Sudan, Ethiopia and even Uganda.
The concept took hold after the discovery of oil in South Sudan and has been further bolstered by successful oil and gas explorations in northern Kenya.
The case before the High Court will be heard on 8 December.
(BMC have been keenly watching the development of the East African Development Strategy in which BMC made recommendations on, amongst others, the development of additional port capacity in the region)