The Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) and its subsidiary, Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited, are appealing to 473 households in Changamwe Sub-County to vacate pipeline lands to prevent disaster.
KPC is implementing a nationwide exercise to clear highly flammable petroleum pipeline way leaves to enhance communities’ safety and security and to avail land for future developments and maintenance of existing pipelines.
Most of the residents in Changamwe, Portreitz, Chaani and Airport wards in Mombasa have encroached on the company’s land, oblivious to the imminent disaster that awaits them in case of a leak as the pipelines rust and give in from age and corrosion.
Some of the residents have voluntarily commenced the demolition of their houses that have encroached on pipeline land, as others have adopted the wait-and-see tactic.
Stanley Manduku, KPC Way Leave Manager, said previous attempts to clear the way leaves were affected by court injunctions, noting a total of five cases have been filed since 1999.
The company is committed to averting disasters akin to the Mukuru Kwa Njenga and Sinai fire tragedies that left scores dead and others nursing injuries after a fuel pipeline explosion.
The Way Leave Manager explained that in cases of maintenance that involves machine work, there may be accidents where the highly pressurised pipelines may be hit and the products may be skewed up, ending up causing a disaster.
“We have to make sure that the settlements of this particular area, especially on petroleum pipeline way leaves and buffer zones, are properly maintained and controlled. So that in case of an incident, we can easily mobilise assistance. We will have working areas where the fire attendants or ambulances can go through,” he stated.
The affected residents were assured that the impending eviction would be conducted humanely. The company has conducted community engagements and met with local leaders and the National Government Administrative Officers and has reached a common ground.
The residents have been sensitised on the dangers of living on the way leaves, as some are doing hot works, establishing eateries and garages, exposing the line to danger in the event there is a link.
“Experience has shown us that a leak can occur even out of corrosion or even out of an accident. If that has to happen, and knowing the nature of the product that we have and the pressure that the lines are operating under, then the type of disaster that we are going to have is of unimaginable proportion,” warned the KPC Way Leave Manager.
Elizabeth Ogendo, a resident of Magongo Pipeline, has voluntarily demolished a section of her house that had encroached on KPC land.
“I didn’t want confrontations with them. they gave us a notice and we don’t have a title deed here. I know there is a pipeline here, and they have erected beacons, so I heeded,” said Ogendo.
Another resident, Fredrick Ndunda, urged KPC to strictly enforce regulations and mark and fence their lands to prevent people from encroaching and incurring losses when their houses are demolished.
Jaffar Otieno, a resident of Changamwe, urged KPC to extend the eviction notice by at least a month, as most of them are casual workers and are just tenants.
By Sadik Hassan
