A Kenyan court has halted activities on the proposed $16 billion Dangote refinery project in Lamu, following a petition by 133 farmers and residents opposed to the development.
Justice Jane Onyango ordered that the “status quo prevailing” in Lamu be maintained pending further directions on October 14.
The order means construction activities at the site cannot proceed until the court reconvenes, according to George Wakahiu, counsel to the petitioners.
The petitioners alleged that the project would infringe on their property rights through the forceful eviction of residents and the destruction of their properties.
They also alleged that Dangote Group and the Kenyan authorities had failed to comply with the country’s environmental regulations, including the requirement for a mandatory environmental impact assessment before the implementation of major projects.
The residents further claimed that the project did not comply with Kenya’s constitutional requirement for public participation.
The court order came a day before the scheduled September 30 groundbreaking ceremony for the refinery, which is expected to help reduce East Africa’s dependence on imported refined petroleum products.
However, Dangote Group, in its response said the ruling would not stop the groundbreaking ceremony, although some activities at the project site could be affected.
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