Residents of Kenya's Lamu island fear damage from mega-refinery
Residents of Kenya's Lamu island are protesting the construction of a massive $16 billion oil refinery project led by Nigerian tycoon Aliko Dangote. Critics fear the project will destroy the local ecosystem and threaten land rights, while government officials argue it is essential for industrial development.
Why it matters
The project represents a significant tension between large-scale industrial development and the preservation of fragile coastal environments and local heritage.
Tourism or industry? Environment or oil? The picturesque Kenyan island of Lamu, a favourite of celebrities, faces a tough trade-off after becoming the construction site for Africa's latest mega-refinery.
Lamu, on the Indian Ocean coast, is known for its 12th-century Old Town, traditional dhow sailing boats and paradisical beaches that have made it a favourite haunt of stars like Mick Jagger, Kate Moss and the Obamas.
But within less than half a year it has become the chosen location for Africa's second-biggest oil refinery, being built by Nigerian tycoon Aliko Dangote.
The continent's richest man broke ground on the $16 billion venture on Wednesday alongside multiple heads of state in what is billed as Kenya's biggest-ever industrial project.
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