ENGAGING WOMEN FORUM AGAINST COAL PROJECT IN LAMU

Women from different community groups attended a one day open forum meeting organized by Save Lamu to create awareness on the development projects in Lamu and to discuss on the effects of the proposed Coal power plant.

The one day meeting which was held at the Lamu Youth Alliance hall, included panelists from different sectors who gave their lengthy views on their respective fields on the effects of coal, including representatives from the Council of imams, MUHURI, Former KenGen Employee, Lamu Marine Forum and Natural justice.

“Coal plant is not good to our health, women are giving birth to disabled children according to one of the community women we met in South Africa , others being diagnosed with Asthma due to the coal dust coming from the plant” said Sauda Kassim who is among the people who went to South Africa to witness the coal plants and mines and their effects to human health, in addition to that Sauda said that the waste water coming from the coal plant is poorly disposed, thus causing the soil to be less productive for agricultural activities.

Feiswal Miji former KenGen employee in Lamu,  said that the investor should look for an alternative source of generating power like wind solar power, instead of coal which threatens activities such as fishing which is highly depended on by the youths in Lamu.

“we are not against any development projects coming to Lamu,we want renewable source of generating power “ said Raya Famau from Sauti ya wanawake.

Raya recalls on her trip in the city of Abidjan Cote d’Ivore in west Africa where representatives from different organizations came together to discuss on the impacts and challenges of African Development Bank (AfDB) investments projects along the LAPSSET Corridor.

Raya went ahead and urged the investor to consider construction of roads in both the mainland and island of Lamu  saying that it will attract investors from different parts of the country to do business in the region which will create job opportunities without people’s health being at risk.

Recently Save Lamu won the case through lawyers from Katiba Institute, against LAPSSET project at Malindi High court after 7 years of struggle for the rights of Lamu community including fishermen whose fishing activities were affected by the dredging that was taking place at the LAPSSET area where the lamu port will be constructed .

Currently the case on Coal in Lamu is still in court, Save Lamu being the petitioner. The next hearing is on June 2018.

The Malindi court ruled Fishers in Lamu to be given Shs. 1.7bn as compensation, because of the ongoing dredging at the Lamu port area, and on 1st November 2018 LAPSSET, Save Lamu, Fishers and Lawyers from Katiba Institute went back to Malindi Court.