High Court Declines to Block Dangote Refinery Deal Ahead of Wednesday Groundbreaking
The court's decision allows the project to proceed while preserving the parties' legal rights in the ongoing dispute.
Nairobi, Kenya – The High Court has decided not to intervene in the planned Dangote refinery project in Lamu, paving the way for Wednesday's groundbreaking ceremony despite an ongoing land dispute involving 133 residents of Chandavai. The court's ruling allows the project to move forward while maintaining the parties' rights in the legal battle.
The residents had approached the court to halt what they claim is the unlawful seizure and destruction of their ancestral land, which they say has been in their families' possession for generations. They sued numerous government agencies and Dangote Industries, among others, accusing them of the land takeover. The residents maintain they have cultivated and developed specific sections of land LR No. 13061 in Chandavai, using it for farming, livestock rearing, and constructing homes, mosques, and other community facilities.
Some also allege that relatives are buried on the disputed land. The plaintiffs sought court orders to halt construction, warning that the ongoing activities could result in further damage to crops, trees, homes, and other property. They argued that certain affected areas, including ancestral homes, graves, and long-standing community structures, could not be fairly compensated through monetary means.
The court's decision means the planned groundbreaking can proceed as the land dispute remains unresolved and subject to further legal proceedings. The residents' claims are yet to be evaluated by the court.
Written by urgent.news from Capital FM Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
