Land, livelihoods and belonging: negotiating change and anticipating LAPSSET in Kenya’s Lamu county

A study on Lamu Old Town reveals that the future of large-scale infrastructure projects like LAPSSET is more influenced by complex economies of anticipation—such as patronage networks and political alliances—than by official designs. Contrary to narratives portraying Northern Kenya as 'backward' or 'empty,' the research demonstrates that local perceptions of land, ethnicity, and belonging shape how resources and benefits will be distributed. The findings highlight the critical role of pre-existing social dynamics in determining access to opportunities within major development initiatives.

Chome, N. (2020). Land, livelihoods and belonging: negotiating change and anticipating LAPSSET in Kenya’s Lamu county. Journal of Eastern African Studies, 14(2), 310–331. https://doi.org/10.1080/17531055.2020.1743068