At the Heart of a Heritage Landscape
The proposed nearly US$ 2 billion coal-fired power station, planned for the coastal region of Lamu County in Kenya, has become a flashpoint for broader tensions between national energy ambitions and local rights. Situated near the historic old town of Lamu— declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2001— community groups and environmental advocates argue the plant threatens not only air and marine quality but also cultural integrity and livelihoods rooted in fishing and tourism.
Consultation, Rights and Community Resistance
Campaigners vowing “coal is not the answer” have raised deep concerns over the project’s environmental and social impact assessment, asserting that public participation was rushed and inadequate. They highlight that local people—fisherfolk, indigenous Swahili communities and mangrove harvesters—were not properly informed or compensated as the project advanced. Legal filings show that the licensing process lacked transparency, while fresh court rulings in October 2025 reaffirm the risk that infrastructure push- ahead may irreversibly damage sensitive ecosystems and heritage sites.
Implications for Kenya’s Energy Transition and Social Licence
As Kenya positions itself as a regional leader in renewables—wind, geothermal and solar now supply the majority of its power—the Lamu coal debate raises wider questions about how energy access, local rights and environmental justice intersect. A decision either way will send signals: proceed and risk undermining public trust and Kenya’s climate commitments; halt or reform and testify to a more rights-based approach to infrastructure. For investors and policymakers alike, the Lamu case exemplifies that even well-financed energy projects must secure the social licence to operate if they are to succeed sustainably.