Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome told reporters that the land identified for the Dangote East Africa Refinery in Lamu is largely public property, countering claims by some locals that it is privately owned.

The ministry has mapped about 7,000 acres for the refinery core and has recognised an additional stretch exceeding 2,000 acres as belonging to the state.

Wahome noted that the presence of households on parts of the site does not automatically confer private title, describing many occupants as long‑term squatters who lack alternative housing.

Some families have lived on sections of the land for five to six decades, passing occupancy down through generations, which complicates the verification of legitimate ownership.

A number of residents have taken the matter to court, arguing that the parcels in question constitute ancestral property and seeking compensation and resettlement.

According to Wahome, the government holds records of original owners and will address genuine claims, even as she suggested that some lawsuits are driven by opponents of the project.

The Attorney General’s office is handling the court proceedings, while the refinery project proceeds under a multi‑agency framework that includes land, resettlement and public‑interest coordination.

The Ksh2.2 trillion Dangote East Africa Refinery was launched on 30 September, with projections of up to 60,000 direct and indirect jobs for the region.