More than 130 residents of Chandavai in Lamu County have moved to court seeking to stop the planned groundbreaking of the proposed Dangote oil refinery, arguing that the project could displace families who have occupied and cultivated the disputed land for generations.
The 133 residents want the court to halt construction, excavation and other activities on land they claim forms part of LR No. 13061 until their alleged community and customary interests are identified and determined.
The case has been filed just days before the planned September 30 groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed refinery, adding a fresh land dispute to major infrastructure and industrial developments in Lamu.
The residents have sued the Office of the President, the Ministry of Defence, the State Department for Lands and Physical Planning, the Attorney General, the National Land Commission, the LAPSSET Corridor Development Authority, the Lamu County Government and Dangote Industries, together with two companies described as contractors.
According to court documents, the residents say their families have occupied, cultivated and developed portions of the disputed land for generations despite not holding formal title deeds.
They say the land has supported farming and livestock keeping, while families have established homes, mosques and shrines. Some residents also claim that ancestral graves are located on the property.
The plaintiffs argue that the absence of registered title does not extinguish their interests in the land or their entitlement to compensation if it is acquired for public purposes.
They allege that government and LAPSSET agents entered the area with heavy machinery on August 7, 2024, destroying crops, trees and other property without prior notice, consultation or compensation.
According to the residents, they were subsequently informed that the land had been acquired for LAPSSET-related infrastructure around Manda Bay, including developments linked to the Kenya Navy Base, US Camp Simba and Magogoni Airfield.
They further allege that preparatory activities for the proposed Dangote refinery began in July 2026, including soil testing.
The dispute escalated in September, the residents claim, when police officers, chiefs and other government officials cleared one of the disputed parcels on September 10 and informed residents that the site would be used for the refinery’s groundbreaking ceremony.
The plaintiffs say they later learnt that a compulsory acquisition process had been initiated involving land in Lamu.
They are challenging what they describe as an inadequate acquisition process, arguing that authorities failed to properly identify and recognise people who have occupied and used the land for generations.
The residents accuse the authorities of failing to issue required statutory notices, conduct proper surveys and valuations, identify affected interests, hold necessary inquiries and compensate affected residents before taking possession.
They also claim some families were forced to relocate to rented accommodation after their property was affected by earlier developments.
The residents want the court to prevent further destruction of crops, trees, homes and other structures, warning that continued excavation and construction could permanently alter the disputed land.
They argue that some of the property at risk, including ancestral homes, graves, trees and community structures, cannot simply be replaced through monetary compensation.
The case also raises environmental and constitutional questions, with the plaintiffs alleging violations of their rights to property, fair administrative action and access to information.
They further accuse the authorities and project developers of failing to comply with applicable environmental assessment requirements.
At the centre of the dispute is a clash between long-standing community occupation claims and plans for major infrastructure and industrial development in Lamu.
The court is being asked to determine whether activities on the disputed land can proceed before the residents’ alleged interests are formally identified and addressed.