Lives on hold as Lamu fishermen clash with KPA over stalled payouts
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Lamu Beach Management Unit (BMU) Chair man Abubakar Twalib in Lamu Town on November 30, 2025. He pleaded with KPA and the government to fast-track the first phase of Lapasset compensation for fishermen.
Beach Management Unit has issued a 14-day ultimatum for the compensation task force to resolve the pending issues and clear the last batch of beneficiaries, or they will call for demonstrations.
The second phase of compensation cannot be initiated until phase one is completed. The fishermen were expecting to revamp their economic activities from the Sh600 million empowerment plans.
A fresh dispute has erupted between fishermen in Lamu County and the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) over delayed compensation to over 200 fishermen affected by the construction of the port, stalling implementation of a Sh600 million empowerment plan.
The State released a Sh1.7 billion payout in May 2024 to compensate 4,734 Lamu fishermen affected by dredging activities as directed by the Court of Appeal, following a rigorous verification process undertaken by KPA.
A section of the Lamu Port site in Kililana, Lamu West on June 5,2025.
