NAIROBI, Kenya – The government has been ordered to pay Sh2.2 billion in compensation to families displaced by the Soin-Koru Multipurpose Dam project, following a ruling by the Land Acquisition Tribunal.
The decision comes after a protracted dispute over unpaid compensation for individuals whose land was acquired to facilitate the Sh20 billion infrastructure project that spans Kericho and Kisumu counties.
The tribunal, chaired by Nabil Orina, directed the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority (NWHSA) and the National Land Commission (NLC) to make the payout within three months.
The ruling highlighted the government’s failure to set aside funds for compensation, despite the acquisition of the land for the development of the dam.
According to the tribunal, the government’s failure to provide the necessary funds for compensation before undertaking the project raised serious concerns about the legality of the land acquisition process.
The tribunal emphasized that a government project cannot be considered viable until the affected individuals have been properly compensated, as stipulated under the Constitution of Kenya.
The compensation, which includes interest at the Central Bank of Kenya’s base lending rate starting from January 31, 2022, was demanded after 27 individuals filed a case following the acquisition of their land in 2022.
The tribunal criticized the government’s lack of preparedness for the compensation process, noting that only about a quarter of the total compensation funds had been deposited, leaving the remainder in limbo.
The Soin-Koru dam project, which began construction in 2022, is intended to control flooding caused by the River Nyando, boost food security through irrigation, and improve water and electricity access in the affected regions.
However, the project was halted in September 2023 due to financial constraints, with uncertainty about when the remaining compensation funds will be made available.
