By Lamu Reporter
Lamu Governor Issa Timamy has issued a stern advisory to residents of Hindi and Mkunumbi wards, the epicentre of the proposed $15 billion Dangote Oil Refinery, cautioning them against parting with their land at undervalued prices as the county braces for what he described as a transformative economic shift.
Speaking in Mokowe, Timamy urged landowners particularly those holding parcels near the refinery site to exercise patience and hold out for better valuations and opportunities once the project reaches full operationalization.
“Landowners should not rush to sell their land cheaply. The value of this land will only rise as the project progresses, and residents stand to benefit far more by waiting,” Timamy said.
The Dangote Lamu refinery, expected to be completed by 2030 after an estimated construction period of roughly 2.5 to 4 years, will have a processing capacity of 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day a scale that would make it East Africa’s largest refinery once operational.
Timamy said the ripple effects of the project would extend well beyond the refinery gates.
He projected that its completion would trigger a sharp rise in demand for affordable housing, commercial office space, and industrial logistics infrastructure across Lamu.
“We are looking at an influx of more than 100,000 people who will work either directly or indirectly for the refinery once it is fully operational, this means our housing, business and logistics sectors must be ready to absorb that demand,” the governor said.
Timamy revealed that the county government is fast-tracking land management reforms through the ongoing Lamu Land Spatial Plan, designed to ensure that land surveys and management processes work in favour of local landowners rather than outside speculators.
He specifically flagged Magogoni, Bargoni, Kwasasi, Hindi and Ndeu as areas of concern, warning both titled landowners and squatters residents occupying ancestral land without formal title deeds to be vigilant against opportunistic buyers.
“Landowners and even squatters with ancestral land should be wary of people looking to make a killing off the establishment of this refinery, especially in Magogoni, Bargoni, Kwasasi, Hindi and Ndeu,” Timamy cautioned.
The governor’s remarks were reinforced by Hindi Ward MCA James Njaaga Kariuki, who renewed calls for the national government to urgently roll out comprehensive public participation across all affected stakeholders.
“The national government needs to urgently carry out public participation across all stakeholders, in a bid to curb marginalization of communities within Lamu,” Kariuki said.
Nominated MCA Ahmed Medo went further, disclosing that he is drafting legislation for the Lamu County Assembly aimed at safeguarding local employment opportunities as investment pours into the county.
“I am in the process of tabling a Bill in the Lamu County Assembly that will ensure at least 70 percent of jobs within all private and public institutions setting up in Lamu go to Lamu residents first,” Medo said.
