A Kenyan court has ordered a temporary halt to work on Dangote’s proposed refinery in Lamu County.
The Malindi Environment and Land Court issued the order after farmers and residents in Chandavai challenged the project. They alleged forceful eviction and destruction of their properties.
Judge Jane Onyango directed both sides to maintain the existing situation. The court will give further directions on October 14.
Residents Challenge Dangote Refinery Project
The petitioners claim the project could displace them from their ancestral lands. They also allege that the developers have no resettlement plan for affected residents.
The group further accused Dangote and Kenyan authorities of ignoring key environmental requirements. They said the project needs a mandatory environmental impact assessment before construction begins.
The petitioners also argue that the project did not meet Kenya’s public participation requirements. Their lawyer, George Wakahiu, told Bloomberg that no construction should start before the October 14 hearing.
Dangote Says Groundbreaking Can Still Hold
However, Dangote Group has offered a different interpretation of the court order.
The company told Reuters that the court had not stopped the planned groundbreaking ceremony. Still, activities at the project site could face restrictions until the next hearing.
“The court has not halted the groundbreaking ceremony of the refinery at this stage,” Dangote Group said.
“However, activities at the site may be affected by the ruling, as both parties are required not to carry out activities until the case is heard on 14th October.”
Ruto Pushes $8bn Lamu Refinery Plan
The court dispute comes days before the planned September 30 groundbreaking ceremony.
Kenyan President William Ruto recently visited Dangote’s refinery in Lagos. During the visit, he said his government was fast-tracking approvals for the Lamu project.
Ruto said Kenya had secured land for the refinery. He also said officials were removing bureaucratic delays that could slow construction.
Meanwhile, Aliko Dangote said the planned Kenyan refinery would be larger than his existing Nigerian facility.
The proposed 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery is expected to boost East Africa’s industrial sector. The Kenyan government also expects it to create jobs and improve technical skills across the region.
