The pending relocation of Mafisini residents by the Base Titanium Company in Msambweni, Kwale County has now attracted the attention of local MP Feisal Bader who now wants the firm to have a dialogue with the community before the exercise kicks off.
The MP said the current standoff between the communities living around Mafisini village may affect the working relationship that has existed.
“We understand the value of investors in the constituency and we would like to see how best we can work with. We are advocating for a dialogue between the affected parties,” he said.
Recently about 200 families in Mafisini village protested plans by the mining firm to pay them Sh300, 000 per acre to pave way for extraction of minerals.
Instead, the affected residents want the firm to compensate them at least Sh15 million per acre.
A resident, David Mwanza said the company is making huge profits and paying them Sh300, 000 per acre is unacceptable.
Mr Mwanza gave an example of the Maumba and Nguluku farmers who were paid Sh80, 000 per acre by the same company and now they are living in abject poverty.
“The company is making a good business with profits running into billions of shillings. What they want to offer as a compensation per acre is peanut. Definitely we shall not take their offer because we want people to be relocated and then get good life and not like what happened in Maumba and Nguluku,” he said.
According to Lilian Mutua, a resident, they are not going to take less than Sh15 million per acre since their land is valuable adding that the process of relocation and settling is tiresome and money consuming.
“We want value for our land because we are going to be displaced permanently and are not going to take less than Sh15 million per acre,” she said.
Another resident Mr. Japheth Muthoka said they will join hands with the county leadership to have higher bargaining power.
The company is expected to issue a comprehensive statement next Monday regarding the compensation allegations by the residents.
