[Source: Daily Nation, by Rushdie Oudia]
Residents of Kango in Muhoroni, Kisumu County, who are opposed to an industrial park project, have protested against the project over land acquisition.
Carrying placards, the Ombeyi Ward residents Monday staged a protest against what they claimed is forced takeover of land for the special economic zone.
The residents claimed that their land is being “grabbed” for a project they do not support and for which they were not consulted.
Trouble started when Mr Odinga said the economic zone is more important than leaving the land fallow or practising small-scale farming.
But some villagers heckled him, saying they prefer their land than the industrial park.
The ODM leader said the project on 500 acres of land will start immediately after Sh500 million is allocated to it in the current financial year and Sh2.5 billion in the next fiscal year.
Building of the industrial part will be launched officially in August by President Uhuru Kenyatta, his Uganda counterpart Yoweri Museveni and Felix Tshisekedi of DR Congo, Mr Odinga said.
Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya (Trade and Industrialisation) said the project will be given priority so as to create jobs for the youth in western Kenya in line with the Jubilee Party’s election pledge.
The leaders were later expected to tour and inspect the in inland container depot in Kibos, the Kenya Pipeline Authority oil jetty, the old airport, the dry dock and the ship building yard.
[Full article: Daily Nation, by Rushdie Oudia]
