Lamu Woman Representative Hon. Monica Marubu has put forward a plan to repurpose the 715-acre Lamu GK Prison land in Hindi as the future Central Business District (CBD) of Lamu Port City.
The proposal aims to position Lamu County to capitalize on anticipated investments linked to the LAPSSET Corridor, including the Dangote Refinery and expanded port activities.
Strategic Location for Economic Growth
Marubu highlighted that the prison land, measuring approximately 289.38 hectares, is strategically located adjacent to the Port of Lamu, making it ideal for developing a modern urban centre to support commercial, financial, residential, and government functions as the port expands.
She noted that Nairobi's CBD covers about 700 acres, underscoring the scale and potential of the proposed development.
Community Benefits and Public Participation
The Woman Rep emphasized that local residents should benefit directly from the development through allocation of plots, allowing them to develop or sell to investors.
Following a directive from Interior Cabinet Secretary Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen, the proposal is now subject to public participation to gather views from Lamu residents before any final decisions are made.
Relocation and Legal Framework
- The plan includes relocating the existing Lamu GK Prison to Kipini to align with the LAPSSET Master Plan's spatial framework.
- The proposal aligns with Kenyan laws including the Constitution (Article 62), the Land Act (2012), the Physical and Land Use Planning Act (2019), and the County Governments Act (2012).
Marubu's letter to the Interior Cabinet Secretary, dated July 3, 2026, formally requests transferring the prison land to the LAPSSET Corridor Development Authority (LCDA) for the CBD development.
She stressed that without a well-planned CBD, the full economic potential of the port and the LAPSSET Corridor cannot be fully realized.
