During President William Ruto’s coastal tour on Tuesday, Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome announced that roughly 7,000 acres have been identified for the planned Lamu oil refinery.

Wahome also indicated that an additional parcel of more than 2,000 acres, already owned by the State, is available for the project.

The announcement comes as a group of Lamu residents have taken the matter to court, claiming the land earmarked for the refinery is ancestral property.

The Malindi Environment and Land Court has ordered the parties to maintain the status quo over a contested parcel in the Hindi/Manda Magogoni area while the dispute proceeds.

Wahome reiterated that the State has legal authority to acquire private land for projects serving a public purpose, provided the acquisition follows due process.

She emphasized that unused State‑owned land should be mobilised for the refinery to create jobs and boost the economy.

The refinery is part of the broader Lamu Port‑South Sudan‑Ethiopia Transport corridor plan, intended to develop Lamu as an energy and transport hub.

The project is being pursued in partnership with Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote and is expected to expand Kenya’s petroleum‑processing capacity.

Government officials say the identified land will facilitate the refinery’s construction, though the legal challenge over ownership remains unresolved.