Lamu residents demand jobs, land rights guarantees ahead of Dangote refinery project

Residents in Lamu are urging the government to provide guarantees on job creation, land rights, compensation and environmental protection before the construction of the Dangote East African Refinery, valued at up to Ksh2.2 trillion. The refinery, part of the LAPSSET corridor, has sparked concerns among local communities about how it will directly benefit them.

Mahir Ahmed, a resident, implored the government to invest in education, ensuring that thousands of young people acquire the skills needed for potential job opportunities the refinery may bring. “Tutafurahia hiyo project, lakini tunaomba ombi letu kwa serikali. Moja, iangazie watoto, at least watoto 5,000 waende wakasome vipi wataweza kupata hizi nafasi za kazi ya hii project,” he urged on September 26, 2026.

Mary Nyaga questioned how the project would directly improve the lives of the local population, asking, “Hii mradi inakunja wapi na watu wata—itawanufaisha watu na njia gani?”

Beyond employment, residents seek clarity on land acquisition, compensation, livelihoods and environmental safeguards. They also demand active community involvement in decision-making and access to information about the project’s potential impacts. “Je, ni siku gani watakuja kuhusisha jamii? Je, jamii itajua vipi kuhusu taarifa zitakazopatiano na mradi huu?”

Concerns were raised over the environmental assessment process, with the community lacking sufficient information about the development. “Hatujajua, NEMA, er, the impact assessment ya huu mradi. Huu mradi ni mkubwa, bado hatujaletewa wala hatujapata brief yoyote kwa jamii kwamba tufanye nini. Je, kuna any county-driven development committee?”

Residents also seek assurances on resettlement and compensation for ancestral land potentially affected by the project. “Tunamtarajia Rais atangalia mambo wetu ya wananchi chini kuanzia Resettlement Action Plan long-term na compensation ya wenye ardhi asilia.”

The proposed refinery could process up to 700,000 barrels of crude oil daily, but Kenya’s current crude oil production falls short of meeting such demand. The facility would rely on the Turkana-Lamu crude oil pipeline or imported crude, depending on the development of the Turkana-Lamu pipeline or imports.

The government anticipates enhanced domestic crude production, with President William Ruto stating that oil extraction in Turkana should commence in December following the arrival of a drilling rig contracted by Gulf Energy. Ruto has championed the Dangote Refinery in Nigeria as a blueprint for Kenya’s industrial transformation, describing it as a monumental engineering feat during a visit to the Nigerian facility in Lekki, which boasts a similar capacity of 700,000 barrels per day.