NLC starts compensation process in Muhuru Bay Pier land acquisition
Nyanza
By
Anne Atieno
| Sep 18, 2025
The National Lands Commission (NLC) has initiated the process to acquire 25 acres of land for the construction of Muhuru Bay Pier in Migori County.
Muhuru Bay Pier, whose construction was launched by President William Ruto in March this year, is expected to boost aquaculture, fisheries, tourism, and transportation at Lake Victoria.
The pier is also expected to reduce post-harvest fish losses, enhance market access, and promote cross-border trade with Uganda and Tanzania.
On Wednesday, NLC started to engage landowners at an ICT hall in Migori Town on the issue of compensation. The names of landowners were published in gazette notice of Aug 26, 2025.
In the gazette notice, the commission said that the acquisition of land would be done on behalf of the Migori County Government, which would execute the project.
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NLC chairman Gershom Otachi said the commission were working together with the county for the purpose of acquiring land at Muhuru Bay for the establishment of the pier.
“There is some land that Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) requires because what they have is not sufficient for the pier," said Mr Otachi said.
He residents whose lands have been gazetted as either having an interest or not having an interest in being the owners of the land were invited to a two-day meeting.
The residents present their claims and raise any issues around the acquisition.
Mr Otachi observed that the inquiry was going on well and that the affected resident had no problem with the whole process and was enthusiastic to have the project.
Affected residents submitted a written compensation claim, copies of their identification cards, KRA pins, land ownership documents, and bank account details at the commission’s offices to help facilitate the compensation process before the hearing could be done.
Some of the residents who appeared for the hearing expressed optimism in the process, saying that the government had promised to compensate them.
Elgon Waindi, a resident of Muhuru Bay, said that they had presented their issues of compensation and land dispute that had emerged and were gazetted and were going to be solved.
“As owners of those lands we have given out for the establishment of the pier, we have discussed amongst ourselves that there is not going to be any dispute,” Waindi, who gave out 0.8 acres of land for the project, said.
Milkah James, another resident, said that they had agreed that they would be compensated and given alternative homes where they would relocate to.
“They have taken our lands where we lived. We have sat with them here for two days and agreed that they are going to compensate us, so we have to find alternative places to go,” Ms James said.
Juma Butete, who gave out 1.3 acres for the Mhuru Bay Pier project, hoped that the government would not complicate life for them since they have given out their farms, which they depend on to earn a living.
“We pray that they pay us so that we can buy alternative lands elsewhere,” Butete said.
Migori Governor Ochilo Ayacko said they have outlined roles, duties, and action plans for managing the parcels of land for the benefit of their people.
“We appreciate the NLC’s efforts to resolve disputes surrounding the Muhuru land,” Governor Ayacko said.
He asked the affected Nyatike residents living in Muhuru Bay to support the project for their benefit and that of the entire county.