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Article

27 Jun 2019

Author:
Abiud Ochieng, Daily Nation (Kenya)

Kenya: Tribunal cancels proposed coal power project licence, says project ignored public participation & climate change legislation

"Tribunal cancels Lamu coal power project licence"

The National Environment Tribunal has cancelled the licence issued to Amu Power Company Ltd for setting up a coal plant. The tribunal Wednesday said that the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) issued the environmental impact assessment licence to Amu Power without following the law. 

[The] Tribunal also faulted the coal project for omitting engineering plans and key facts of the project from public participation as well as failure to take account of the Climate Change Act. Nema was faulted for granting the coal project a licence that appeared to be generic and not specific to the project. Katiba Institute had filed the case on behalf of the Save Lamu lobby group. Nema and Amu Power were listed as respondents. The tribunal, led by Mohamed Balala, said that should Amu Power consider proceeding with the project, it will have to carry out a fresh environmental impact assessment in accordance with the law and comply with all the necessary laws.

Following the ruling, Amu Power CEO Cyrus Kirima said that the firm had taken note of the concerns raised in the ruling and was committed to working with stakeholders to ensure that all matters are addressed. “Amu Power’s goal is to improve the lives of the communities in Lamu County; employment creation, infrastructure development, upskilling of the youth and the provision of affordable energy generated from coal power.