133 Lamu residents challenge land takeover as Dangote refinery project begins

More than 130 Lamu residents are fighting to stop what they describe as the takeover of their ancestral land, as construction of the planned 2 trillion-shilling Dangote refinery and petrochemical complex gets underway. The 133 residents of Chandavai have moved to court, claiming land their families have occupied and cultivated for generations is being cleared for works linked to the project. They say crops, trees, homes and other property have already been affected and are seeking orders to stop further construction and excavation pending the determination of the dispute. The legal battle comes as the 700,000-barrel-a-day refinery prepares to break ground this week. As construction draws closer, the Kenya Ports Authority has received the first major shipment of heavy machinery for the project at the Port of Lamu aboard the MV Da Yang.